The Battle of Evermore
by iWandering-Shapeshifter
Summary: 'You poor Wandering soul, you have grieved so deeply for your beloved these past years... Yet you have courage still, a willing heart that while it is broken, it beats for those you still hold dear on this earth. For that, you are favored even now, Eäriel the Wanderer.' (Film-Verse/ Eventual LegolasOC/ R&R Please! / REWRITTEN as of 02-10-15)
1. Prologue

**_**edited on Feb. 27, 2015_**

* * *

><p>The older man's blue eyes glanced at his companion again.<p>

Even though many years had passed since she had been in his company for longer than a few minutes, the elleth had not changed much, if at all. She still remained confident and compassionate, as bullheaded as the Dwarves she had befriended in the past, retaining the courtesy and fondness she held for him as if he were her grandfather. The cold fire in her ice blue eyes was somehow warmed now as she had become wiser somehow, yet as his wise eyes looked on her still, the only signs she had suffered showed clearly on her lovely face.

A thin scar marred her left cheek; a scar she had refused to cover up in the aftermath for it was a reminder of the struggles she had overcome in the East, and her hair was the same as it was sixty years back, put up in a high tail, save that now there was a small braid he had no doubt she had done herself behind her pointed ear with a small clip at the tail that only Dwarves wore on their beards or in their own hair.

She was no Dwarf by any means, but she certainly had the tenacity of one.

"If you're going to keep staring, you might as well say whatever is on your mind, Mithrandir." Her calm voice sounded bored even as she was excited to see her old friend once again before she had to return to business, pulling the buggy's driver from his musings.

The Wizard ignored her bored tone and instead smiled patiently at his friend, "I imagine Lord Elrond does not need you back so soon… You would be more than welcome to stay longer for the party." Ever since she had returned to Imladris forty years ago, she was rather bitter about her temporary residence. She had been happy to return as she had missed her surrogate family there, yet she had not wanted to be coddled and urged to heal fully by leaving to Valinor per wishes of her late father's old friend.

"I would love to, but he wishes that I return before the twins come back from their journey to the North. They will be back by tomorrow or so, so until then, I cannot linger." The elleth reminded dryly, stealing a glance at her companion and a small apologetic smile formed on her lips. "I am sorry for being so curt." She added on a more-curbed tone.

Gandalf sighed through his nostrils but nodded his acceptance of her apology, releasing the horse's reins to gently grasp her shoulder. "Our dear burglar will miss your attendance." He said.

Eäriel smiled and nodded her head, chuckling. "Prolly as spry as he was the last time I visited. Grown well into old age, it seems… Our burglar." She looked on the small houses she recognized as they were nestled in amongst the equally-small verdant green hills of the Shire.

Even after almost a century, the Shire retained its quaint and lovely visage she had looked upon with fond eyes in a different time.

The buggy came to a halt at the front of the familiar Hobbit house with the green door, and both Elf and Wizard stepped down to see there was a notice board nailed to the gate door: '_No admittance! Except on party business_' the sign said.

The former rolled her eyes and smiled, letting the latter unhook the latch on the inside of the gate as they both made their way up the small winding path to the front door. Nostalgia flooded her mind as she had recalled the first time she had visited the Hobbit was at the dying twilight, with thirteen Dwarves making a racket in his house… She smiled wistfully.

"_No, thank you! We don't want any well-wishers, visitors or distant relations!_" The familiar distressed tone in the Hobbit's voice exclaimed from some part inside of the house.

Shaking his head, the wizard remarked in the same loud tone, "And what about very old friends?"

A quick shuffling of feet sounded from the other side before the green door was nearly yanked open for both visitors to behold the house's owner.

Bilbo Baggins had indeed grayed with the passing years, though his hair was still that curly mop she had first laid eyes on sixty years ago, his sharp brown eyes still holding that Tookish curiosity that the Wizard had pointed out in the past. He took in the sight of the gray-clad Gandalf and beamed; the wrinkles of age stretching as they framed his mouth, and he embraced the Wizard. "Gandalf!" He said happily.

Eäriel faked a pout when the two old friends drew away from each other, arms crossing at her chest. "I could swear those grays on your head could pass for a halo of wisdom, Bilbo Baggins." She jested gently, grinning when their ex-burglar turned to her with widened eyes.

"Dear God your beauty hasn't aged a day, Eäriel! It's been so long," Bilbo laughed as he embraced the She-Elf, earning a warm embrace from his old friend as she squeezed before letting him go, "Come in, come in, both of you!" He added as he ushered them both into the rounded doorway of his home.

* * *

><p>The speckled gray stallion whinnied as his pace had slowed to a canter, making his way around the winding stone path that led to the Elven settlement.<p>

Patting his neck gently with soft praises in Sindarin, the brunette She-Elf looked forward to returning to the home she had left many years ago, returned only forty years past when her small post-battle journey had come to an end. She sighed through her nostrils and smiled at recognizing the small courtyard that was an entrance to Imladris, her steed slowing to a trot as she entered past the twin stone statues of sentinels that stood as a means to guard the entrance even as they stood immobile.

Dismounting from the stallion's back, Eäriel stroked his long muzzle with gentle fingers and smiled when he nickered at her fond gesture, looking at the stairs leading to the entrance as the familiar face of Lindir came to welcome her, and she was surprised to see Lord Elrond with him. She smiled at her welcoming party, seeing elation brighten the Elven lord's murky green stare as it fixated on her returning form. "Didn't mean to be late." She offered with a sheepish look, letting Lindir take the reins of her horse as she gave him a smile of thanks, tipping her head down in respect to the regal-looking Elrond.

Lord Elrond smiled back, albeit rather exasperatedly at her fashionably late timing, clapping a hand on her back as they both walked up the stairs to the rest of his home. "So long as you didn't awaken _another_ dragon while you were gone… Did you at least enjoy the festivities for Bilbo's birthday party?" He wondered, ignoring her slight pout at his first comment.

Eäriel smiled thoughtfully. "I only visited with him hours before the festivities, actually; Gandalf explained my abrupt leave to him, though…" She looked forward as they passed through one of the many covered corridors that had no glass to prevent the oncoming fall's breeze from entering the passage way. "Aragorn is to rendezvous with Gandalf in another few months, from what he said before we visited with Bilbo. I imagine Bilbo has already gone and left the Shire, probably on his way here." The Hobbit had been eager to revisit Imladris, as he hadn't fully explored the place the first time he had set foot in the Elven settlement decades ago, and she would bet her left hand that he was traveling by foot.

Even as old as he now was, he would no doubt walk his way to Rivendell, as he had been offered a chance to live there when he was younger.

"Following the footsteps of the brave-hearted elleth that had protected him in younger days." The Elven lord mused, knowing she still held fondness for her friend, even while she had suffered the losses on the battlefield before Erebor.

She had returned forty years ago, and when he had come to welcome her home, he had not entirely been surprised by the grief that weighed on her shoulders, her broken heart she had tried to hide from him out of vain pride. He had not been surprised, yet seeing the hollowness in her usually fierce ice blue gaze had still come as a shock. The paternal side of him had wanted to scold her and pointedly remind that she was not a Dwarf, that she had no business mixing with the Sons of Durin even as she had shed blood, sweat and tears for them, sacrificing her honor and nearly her life to keep the ties between Elves and Dwarves stable… Yet at seeing the heartbroken look that haunted her lovely face, he had instead embraced her as if she were his own daughter, not surprised when she had returned the embrace with a barely-concealed shaky sigh of grief and elation, letting her take refuge once more in his home to recover from the Battle of the Five Armies.

Eäriel had lost her beloved on Ravenhill, and she had also lost a piece of her soul with his passing she had tried her hardest to prevent.

Smiling ruefully at the memories he had brought forth she did not like to touch on, the Wanderer exhaled and ran a hand loosely through her hair. "His nephew is just like him, it seems; I fear what would become of him if Aragorn does not bring him here with the Ring in his possession." Then again, she worried for Aragorn as well. While the Dúnedain Ranger was fully capable of protecting himself in the Wild, as his fellow Rangers from the North had been trained to do since joining their ranks, she knew of his lineage, knew the tale of Isildur as he had taken the One Ring for his own, since she was a child… And it left her concerned for her friend.

"He will come safely, and bring Frodo along with him… You are worrying again." Lord Elrond assured calmly, sparing a patient half-smile at the elleth he had raised, earning a glance from her.

Eäriel smiled apologetically, exhaling. "If anything, I learn it from you." She returned, giving a small cheeky look she had learned to use when she had grown past the stage of Elfling.

It wasn't a happy smile, but it was a smile nonetheless, and the Elven lord was grateful for that.

"Late as usual!" A voice said as the two passed through a pavilion painted the same white color the rest of the house's smaller buildings were, before two heads of brown hair came forward to greet them.

Lord Elrond smiled patiently as his twin boys embraced their adopted sister, only making her laugh in protest even as she embraced them just as tightly.

"You didn't go slay another dragon _this_ _time_, did you, Eäriel?" One of the two brunette twins, Elladan, wondered knowingly of the elleth they had sandwiched in their embrace, backing off when she gently shooed him away, looking on her with a playful smile.

"It would explain as to why in Eru's name you were late!" Elrohir, the second brunette twin, chimed with a chuckle.

Eäriel stuck her tongue out childishly, grinning even so as she looked on the two troublemakers she had gotten many a scolding with when she was younger. "I travel all over the East, fight Orcs and goblins and spiders, and yet **you** **two** are the ones to scold me for being late!" She complained in mock anger.

Both twins rolled their eyes, remarking in one voice if only to unnerve their adopted sister, "**Like you didn't ever do the scolding**."

"You know I _hate_ _it_ when you **_do_** that…" The Wanderer pinched the bridge of her nose as her adopted brothers laughed in triumph at besting her.

"If you two are done heckling, I believe you have news to report to me in my study." Lord Elrond chuckled as he looked at his sons knowingly.

Elrohir sulked slightly before sighing, "Yes, _Ada_…"

"We're glad you're home, Eäri. See you later," Elladan tousled her brown fringe with a hand only to be shooed off on reflex, smirking at her before both he and his brother followed their father into the further recesses of the house.

Eäriel smiled fondly in their wake and exhaled as she turned to retreat to her room; she needed a break… and maybe a bath.

* * *

><p><em>** told you i'd be rewriting this~ lol no srsly i rewrote it bc 1. things didn't jive well with the older version and the rewritten version of MMO'erMe, and 2. my Tolkien knowledge has been ever-expanding since the fandom was revived from the dead with the Hobbit films, so, here i am! (:<em>

_** also yes, since i've read that the Light of the Eldar leaves Middle-Earth by the end of the 3rd Age, there will be more interactions between our Eäriel and the Elves bc of reasons. point being, this'll be more detailed than the previous version. aaand Eäriel and Elrond interactions are just fluff. ok i'm done._

_** feel free to **review**, people! the little tiny review button will not bite you, i assure you, and it'll make me feel all warm and fuzzy to know you guys like what i write. also, i'll be posting snippets of the chaps on my tumblr: the link's on my profile. **Istay-on-the-elvenpathI l tumblr** (along with most if not 99% of my other posts that are reblogged Tolkien things, if i may add~)_


	2. Gathering Clouds

**_** edited on Feb 27, 2015_**

* * *

><p>The dignitaries would be arriving within a week.<p>

At the knowledge that the Ringbearer would arrive within the next day or so, as it had been foreseen by Lord Elrond, he had decided to call the Council together to decide on the fate of the One Ring. Therein explaining why she had been running to and fro like a rabbit without its head. Well to be honest, she was not running so much as flying.

Lord Elrond knew of her abilities and therefore was not surprised; he had even encouraged that she use her powers of shape-changing to deliver the message that he was to hold his Council meeting soon. So Eäriel had been flying in the guise of a raven to Mirkwood and even to the Blue Mountains to deliver the message to the Dwarves and her kin in the Woodland Realm. Rather she hadn't gone very deeply into the lattermost place, as she had sworn she would never set foot inside the Elvenking's halls or she wasn't a child of Eru, landing in the outskirts to catch whatever hunting party was out that day and relaying the message.

She was glad Elves did not tire easily, for she imagined her arms would've fallen off by now!

With that in mind, it surprised her to see a familiar head of gray hair had arrived only a day or two before the Ringbearer was to come. She had embraced Gandalf and asked why he hadn't come sooner, being told by her old friend that he had been delayed per a squabble with Saruman the White only a few months back that led to his imprisonment in the Tower of Isengard which only lasted shortly before he'd escaped and sought refuge in Imladris.

To hear they had lost an ally to the will of Sauron was a blow indeed, moreso to Lord Elrond and Gandalf than she.

The gray wolf panted as she neared the Bruinen Ford, her large paws having tracked the way her adoptive sister had gone to retrieve the Ranger and Hobbits that were due to arrive in Imladris by now. She perked up when hearing the familiar thundering hooves of a horse that was coming fast, soon to cross the river that stood between one side and the other, her paws skidding to a halt as she changed shape to that of the Wanderer. Looking past the thin trees of the edges of the wood, she recognized the familiar brunette elleth rushing forward at top speed… with a host of nine black-clad riders shortly following her lead. "Arwen!" She hailed her down, backing as the gray horse skidded to a halt only to turn around and face the Ringwraiths.

Both Elves watched as the Nazgûl brought their steeds to a skidding halt on the other side of the flowing river, the head of the party pulling on the reins as his horse neighed and reared before straightening to paw anxiously at the muddy bank. "_Give up the Halfling, She-Elves!_" Their leader hissed in common tongue in a scratchy and grainy voice that rode on the two females' sensitive ears.

Eäriel notched an arrow in her bow as Arwen drew her curved sword from the scabbard at her hip, the latter snapping back in a cold tone, "Come and claim him, then!" To both of their disdain and amazement, the Nine began to cross towards them, their steeds giving whinnies of vain protest even as they obeyed their riders.

Arwen began softly chanting in Elvish, summoning the will of both Elbereth and Lúthien the Fair to make it so the Ringwraiths could not reach them. Eäriel watched in some measure of amazement as a great roar of the waters from the falls sounded, the enchanted river rising like a mighty wave that flew at the crossing riders, taking the form of a band of horses that charged on only to collide fiercely with the Ringwraiths and send them far and away from the Ford.

While the Nine were otherwise impossible to kill by simply drowning, Eäriel had wished they could die as mortals would.

… But for now, they were safe. She, Arwen and Frodo were safe, and that was enough for now.

* * *

><p>"You never said what it was you were scribbling in that book, Bilbo." The elleth commented as she found her old friend seated in one of the pavilions enjoying the coming fall and the mild breeze that would blow through now and then. She smiled knowingly as the Halfling must know by now that he could not hide things from her keen eyes.<p>

The older Hobbit sighed through his nostrils at her interruption, and while he was glad to have seen her even with Lord Elrond having her play messenger the last few weeks, he could not be derailed from his train of thought. "It isn't finished just yet." He answered, his quill continuing to scrawl across the softly-yellowed pages.

Eäriel raised a brow as she could make out the words _'Goblin Town_', and a thoughtful look crossed her features. "If you're writing about the goblins, don't forget that they were positively atrocious…"

"Eäriel."

The elleth tried to not wince at hearing her former guardian's beckon from behind, even as she gave a small smile to the Hobbit before turning to join the Elven lord in whatever he wished to discuss privately. "What is it?"

"I have said before and I am afraid I must say it again: you must sail to the Undying Lands. The evil that has regained its strength will soon attempt to cover everything in shadow, and you know as well as I that others of our kin are leaving Middle-Earth… It would be wise if you left as well." The Half-Elven declared, not minding the surprised look that sharply rounded on him.

"If that is true, then that is all the more reason for me to stay… I refuse to leave Middle-Earth, not while the evil we kept at bay sixty years ago is planning to try and wipe out every race on this land. I will fight, as I did then, I will not run!" The Wanderer protested sternly, glaring at her adoptive father, knowing he was only saying this because he had foreseen something. "You know it is not in me to be a coward…"

"Eäriel if you stay, you will die." Lord Elrond cut her off sharply, his low voice carrying the sternness of a father, of a wise council, of a concerned guardian. He saw the defiance that had brightened her piercing blue eyes, and he found it ironic that it was only when she was riled did the life return to her. "I raised you for two thousand years, and it is because you are part of my family that I would not watch you die fighting a losing battle… I watched you return from Erebor heartbroken and grieving, hating yourself for the losses of the Sons of Durin... I would not see another loss that is dear to you destroy you, Eäriel." He curbed his tone even though he was still exasperated with the obstinate manner she stood with.

She bit her lip as she looked away from his piercing green stare to the soft breeze that blew through the gaps in the hallway's arches, recognizing that he only worried for her safety, as any father would… She knew of the darkness gaining further strength, that it would boil down to a battle sooner or later.

And battles were impossible for her to pass up.

"Then I will die with pride and the hope that I will see my king as I promised on Ravenhill." Eäriel whispered, not looking into his frustrated green stare as she bowed her head in excuse of her leave; she strode away further down the hallway with a head held high, even as she had upset her adoptive father again.

It was one thing she was glad for to have not been born into his household…

The pounding of hooves caught her keen ears as she passed by the corridor that led to the entrance courtyard of the Last Homely House. Her head jerked in said direction before a small grin began to take form on her face; she rushed to the entrance courtyard.

* * *

><p>The redhead elleth dismounted from her horse and gently patted her neck as the mare nickered softly in return to her gesture, looking at the head of their small party of two as he had also dismounted to look at the pearly-white outer walls of the lesser buildings in the settlement. She knew the prince was looking not just for their host, but one elleth in particular… She smiled knowingly at her old friend. "I imagine she is already here." She commented, earning a look from the blonde as Lindir came forward to welcome them and take their horses to the stables.<p>

Furrowing his brow a smidge even as he recognized the knowing look on his old friend's pretty face, the prince decided to play along if only to alleviate her sombered demeanor she had taken on in the last few decades. "Of course she is, Lady Arwen lives here, Tauriel..."

"_Mellon_, don't act the fool; you know of whom I speak." She returned with the knowing tone in her voice that made it clear she did not wish to let either of them play coy.

Legolas Greenleaf looked away absently and exhaled. "Your keen eyes must be seeing a lovestruck Elfling instead of your friend." He remarked.

"And here I thought a prince was never meant to be late!"

Both Elves looked at the stairs leading from the courtyard to the inner recesses of the Elven settlement as a familiar pair of piercing blue eyes met their mildly surprised looks; the Wanderer grinned widely at seeing her friends, her light feet descending the remaining stairs to welcome their guests.

Tauriel beamed at recognizing the life that remained in her friend's blue eyes. "Eäriel, it has been a while!" She greeted, receiving the light hug from her friend and reciprocating before both females let go, smiling as the Wanderer turned to the prince.

Legolas, compared to Tauriel, caught the small braid with a bead just behind his friend's left ear that had no doubt been done by her own hand; odd as it was, it suited her. He smiled as she threw her arms around his shoulders in an embrace, his own arms squeezing on her lower back on reflex, reluctantly letting her slip free. "Being scolded for being late by an elleth that I could swear had '_late_' for a second name." He returned knowingly, glad to see the light in her eyes had ignited once more when seeing him in her home.

Eäriel poked her cheeks out a smidge in playfulness, crossing her arms at her chest. "I missed you too… I am surprised you two are here so early, as the meeting won't commence until tomorrow afternoon." She raised a brow as she looked between the blonde and redhead Elves with curiosity.

Tauriel shared a look with Legolas before she exhaled. "We have news to report to Lord Elrond before the meeting; the matter isn't meant to be heard out in the open, though." She informed, seeing a pensive frown begin to form on the brunette Elf's lovely face.

Legolas' brow slightly furrowed at seeing the mention of the Half-Elven earned a sombered light to enter his friend's face, reflexively grasping her shoulder and meeting her surprised glance at his gesture. "We will catch up after speaking with him, Eäriel." He assured, even as his equally piercing blue eyes silently told her that he would listen to whatever was troubling her, what was said between she and her adoptive father.

Nodding, Eäriel reached to squeeze his hand with hers, smiling. "Aye."

* * *

><p><em>* so yes, the plot begins to thicken! knowing our dear heroine, do you honestly believe she will leave Middle-Earth to its fate? <em>

_* guys, i can't thank you enough for the surge in favs/follows/reviews! i am a very happy camper, and so that explains as to why i am posting this chapter earlier than intended. ^^ thanks again! _


	3. Clouds in Dispensation

_**** edited on Feb 27, 2015**_

* * *

><p>"Strangers from distant lands, friends of old, you've been summoned here to answer the threat of Mordor. Middle-Earth stands on the brink of destruction, and none can escape it." Lord Elrond began as he had gathered the attention of the occupants of the meeting, looking from the Gondorian Men to the Mirkwood Elves to the Dwarves of the Lonely Mountain and lastly to the stragglers, Aragorn, Gandalf, Eäriel, Bilbo and Frodo. "You will unite or fall; each race is bound to this fate, this one doom… Bring forth the Ring, Frodo." He nodded to the younger Hobbit present, his wise eyes not missing the slight nervousness in the Halfling's green eyes.<p>

Frodo straightened from the chair he had taken between Bilbo and Gandalf that seemed too big for someone of his stature, shuffling forward to present the One Ring and place it on the pedestal centered in the room, returning to take his seat once more.

Eäriel, who had been seated on Legolas' right, on the left of Elladan and Elrohir, let her piercing blue orbs glance from one end of the room to the other as soft murmurings arose when the Ring was in the open. Her eyes fell once and then twice on the Gondorians, three she could tell hailed from the territory ruled by Men, yet the remaining trio she could see were not, as they were possibly from the other territories of Men that were summoned.

Not by her duty, possibly by Elladan and Elrohir.

Still, she saw the spark of an epiphany kindle and grow in strength in the brunette Gondorian's blue eyes, glancing briefly at his neatly-bearded face that showed he had seen enough battles for such a life as his, and his garb that made her recognize he was not a mere noble.

She internally huffed; the Steward's son had come all the way to Rivendell? She almost pitied the Gondorian for whatever argument he and his esteemed father had had before he'd left Minas Tirith…

Her keen eyes did not miss that his eyes were on the Ring, and with the epiphany in his gaze, that was a deadly concoction.

"… In the West, a pale light lingered; a voice cried out, saying '_your doom is near, Isildur's Bane has been found_'." Boromir son of Denethor was saying, seeming to subconsciously inch closer to the pedestal after he had risen from his chair to take the floor and look to each of the Council members, "Isildur's Bane…"

Gandalf chose that moment to stand and counter, speaking the horrid Black Speech that was never meant to be uttered. Even as he spoke, the sky seemed to darken above and the entire room dimmed even, it seemed. The Elves of Imladris and the Greenwood that were younger flinched simultaneously at the tongue being spoken, and even Lord Elrond rubbed his forehead as if to banish away a migraine.

Eäriel cracked her eyes open to see the sky and overall mood had lightened as Gandalf had stopped speaking, her eyes darting to Boromir to find with bemusement that the Black Speech had cowed the Gondorian back to his seat… for now, anyway.

Lord Elrond turned to the Wizard with reproach, "noone has _dared_ utter that vile tongue here in Imladris." He said crossly.

Gandalf scowled stubbornly, "I do not wish for your pardon, Lord Elrond. May the Black Speech that was uttered also be heard in each and every corner of the West. The One Ring is, frankly, evil _in_ and _of_ itself!" He stated as he looked to the occupants of the meeting, not missing the slightly guilty expression that appeared and disappeared swiftly on Eäriel's face.

Boromir rebutted even as the Wizard began to sit back down, "It is a gift, a gift to the foes of Mordor! Why not use this Ring?" Looking to the eyes of the Council again with a renewed surge of excitement in his epiphany, he continued, "long has my father, the Steward of Gondor, kept the forces of Mordor at bay: by the blood of our people are your lands kept safe… Give Gondor the weapon of the Enemy; let us use it against him!" He finished.

Aragorn spoke up, as reproachful and not antagonizing to his kinsman, "You can't wield it, none of us can! The One Ring solely answers to Sauron, it has no other master." He declared as blue met green.

The Steward's son turned to him with a haughty sneer beginning to grow on his bearded face, "And just _what_ would a mere _Ranger_ know of this?"

Eäriel's lip curled as she answered clearly from her seat, "He is _not_ a simple Ranger, as you just _insulted_… He is Aragorn, son of Arathorn, and you owe your allegiance to him… and _your apology_, Boromir son of Denethor." She held his sharp glare with cold blue eyes, a tensed jaw and her arms crossed at her chest in a defiant manner.

Turning the sneer to the confident She-Elf, he huffed and answered coolly, "Gondor has and does not **_need_** a _king_, as this Council _clearly_ does not need an _impulsive __**She-Elf**_ in its presence."

The Wanderer quirked a brow, her eyes dangerous as she returned sweetly, "I will tell you what it _doesn't need_ and I would _happily_…"

"_Eäriel, enough_." Aragorn turned to her, his accent sharp as he spoke in Sindarin, earning a defiant scowl from his friend; he watched her give one of her most deadly of glares at Boromir before she slid her eyes closed and gingerly traced a finger along the thin scar on her cheek as her lovely face all-but-calmed, silencing.

"Aragorn has a point; we can't use it." Gandalf spoke up calmly once he felt the tension between the Wanderer and the Gondorian slowly fade from the room, looking to Lord Elrond.

Standing from his chair, Lord Elrond surveyed the audience of the room again, "You have but one choice; the Ring must be destroyed."

One of the Dwarves from the Lonely Mountain straightened a few moments of stillness after his words faded, drawing an axe as he strode towards the Ring and brought the blade of his weapon down. The Wanderer cracked open an eye when hearing a _'thud'_, as the redhead Dwarf had fallen back from having tried to destroy the Ring with Dwarvish iron, the axe he'd used now lying on the floor in pieces and chunks. She caught the amused smirk on the blonde prince's lips and jabbed her elbow into his, shooting him a reproachful look when blue met blue.

Tauriel glanced at the small silent exchange between her friends and shook her head slightly, mentally chiding Legolas; he knew she held fondness for Dwarves, one he had yet to completely solve to this day…

"The Ring cannot be destroyed, Gimli son of Gloin, by any craft that we possess. It was made in the fires of Mount Doom, and it is only there that it can be undone… It must be taken back to Mordor, cast back into the fire from whence it came." By this point, he had silenced most if not the entirety of the members of the Council, "one of _you_ must do this." Lord Elrond looked to everyone present, from the smallest to the greatest, with grim green eyes.

Eäriel sat back in her chair as she knew she would not be the first to sign up for such a dangerous task; she had seen horrors she was never meant to see, vile creatures much lesser than she, yet to venture to Mordor with the sole and honorable intent to destroy the One Ring riding on her shoulders… She had courted challenges and brashness in younger days, but this topped it.

"One doesn't simply walk into Mordor; its Black Gates are guarded by much more than just Orcs. There is evil there that does not sleep… the Great Eye is watchful always, it is a barren wasteland filled with fire, ash and dust, as the very air you breathe is poisonous. Not with ten thousand soldiers you could do this… It is folly." Boromir put in grimly, a haunted look passing over his face as he spoke.

"Have you heard _anything_ that Lord Elrond has said? The Ring must be destroyed!" Legolas rebutted sharply.

Gimli snapped at him in the same sharp tone, "And I suppose you think _you're_ the one to do it!"

Boromir sided with the Dwarf, "And if we fail, what _then?_" He challenged.

"I would be _dead_ before I see the Ring in the hands of an Elf!" Gimli snarled proudly, as a cacophony of arguments and raised voices soon sprang to life in the room with his insult to the Mirkwood Elves. The two Hobbits remained unbiased, as Aragorn did, and surprisingly Eäriel as well, as the rows began and continued around them, the noise filling the room.

Eäriel looked between the Woodland Elves and Elladan and Elrohir as they were doing their best to keep the former two from pulling a move that would cost them later on; she pinched the bridge of her nose and exhaled steadily, distinctly feeling a migraine coming on.

Aragorn looked at the Wanderer as she had stood from her seat with an irritable glare on her brow, a fire kindled in her pale blue eyes; he silently braced himself for what was to come, knowing that she was not like her kin… She was _not_ one to deal with arguments easily.

"**SHUT IT**!" All noise died at hearing the bellow from where the Elves were seated, well over ten sets of eyes finding the brunette She-Elf was the one who had made herself be heard above the noise, a cold fire in her eyes. "_By the Valar, you are behaving like children! All of you sit back down, and if one of you opens your trap, you will regret it!_" Eäriel the Wanderer growled out sternly, her piercing stare looking from one end of the room to the other, daring anyone to cross her. The tenseness in her shoulders began to loosen as the group of overall-males shuffled to their respective seats, proverbial tails lowered in heeding to her threat.

Legolas, who had winced at the loudness of her voice, shot a look at Aragorn as he had sworn he'd seen the man's green eyes show bemusement at his expense; he pinched the bridge of his nose.

"I will take it… **I** will take the Ring to Mordor." A small voice spoke clearly from where Bilbo and Gandalf sat, and the Wanderer looked to the owner of the voice to see it was Frodo, his innocent green eyes meeting the shocked looks from everyone present, yet he was brave as he added on rather sheepish note, "Though, I don't know the way."

Gandalf, who had given a silent sigh at the younger Baggins' naivety, straightened to stand by him, "I was not there to aid you in Bree, therefore I will join you in your quest, as this is a great burden to bear." He clapped a hand gently on his shoulder.

Aragorn, who had sat silent through the arguments that had filled the now-calmed air, stood to crouch before the Halfling and smile assuringly, "If by my life or death I can protect you, I will. You have my sword."

"Something of this magnitude should not rest on the shoulders of a brave Hobbit," Eäriel said gently as she rose to stand with Gandalf, glancing at Bilbo who had looked at her in relief when she stood, before she looked at Frodo and added, "As I protected your uncle, I will do the same for you, Master Baggins… You have my bow!" She winked.

Legolas shook his head in mild exasperation with his old friend, joining her. "And my bow as well." He didn't miss the gentle smirk she briefly gave him before it faded as quickly as it had come.

"And _my_ axe!" Gimli stated brazenly as he came forth to join the others.

Boromir straightened when seeing the Hobbit would not be going alone, huffing softly as he approached the group, "You bear the weight of us all, little one; but if this is the will of the Council, then Gondor will see it done!" He chimed.

Eäriel raised a brow in amusement as a brief shout came from behind the bushes off to the side of the meeting room as the ginger-haired Samwise came forward to stand loyally at Frodo's side, "Mr. Frodo's not goin' anywhere without me!" Samwise said stubbornly.

Lord Elrond shared in the She-Elf's amusement, remarking exasperatedly, "It is hardly possible to separate you two, even when _he_ is summoned to a secret meeting and _you_ clearly were not!" He said even as the chubbier Hobbit flushed in slight embarrassment.

"Oi, we're coming too!" A second voice said as the two remaining Hobbits, Merry and Pippin, jogged forward from a hallway leading to the room to come to a halt at Frodo's left. "You'd have to send us home tied in a bag to stop us!" Merry said boldly.

Pippin chimed in the same tone, "Anyway, you need people of intelligence on this mission… quest… _thing!_"

The lone female of the group couldn't fight the amusement as Merry jibed his friend with a smirk, giving a soft chuckle at the three Hobbits' naivety that was equal to Frodo's.

Lord Elrond looked on the Company, his eyes finding his adoptive daughter now and then as the discussion they'd had the other day resurfaced in his mind, yet he knew she would go even if he argued the issue a third time; she was adamant like that, something he knew she had learned from the Dwarves… "Ten companions; so be it! You shall be the Fellowship of the Ring."

"Great… Where're we going?" Pippin asked chirpily.

* * *

><p>Eäriel made sure her knives and daggers were in order as she left her room after shouldering her bag onto her back.<p>

She had received her long knife she had lent Tauriel on Ravenhill sixty years back, shortly before the redhead's departure, being wished the best of luck and that the redhead prayed to the Eldar that she would see her again one day. With an embrace, she had watched her friend depart back to the Woodland Realm with Elladan and Elrohir as escorts to make sure she arrived safe, being embraced by her adoptive brothers beforehand. She had said goodbye to Arwen as well, yet when she had found her, she saw there was a sadness in her green eyes; she did not need to read her mind to know her adoptive sister had had some form of an argument with her beloved, so she did not pry, embracing her with an assuring smile before leaving her be.

She had restocked her quiver and kept her bow tucked there with the arrows she had personalized years ago, the blue tips of the feathers at the end of the shaft stating that they belonged to her, keeping her quiver and bag strapped to her back. Hathelas, the blade she had found in the troll hoard while on a different quest, was strapped to her left hip, the thin belt for her long knives strapped at either hip, her daggers in place in her gauntlets, and a set of four smaller knives tucked into the inner folds of her worn black boots.

Her leather coat that Bilbo had given her, the forest green color that would camouflage her well in the Wild and the gray wolf fur lining that would be of some form of keeping warm even as she doubted she would get cold, was folded and rested in her bag for precaution.

Loosely running her fingers through her hair she'd pulled back into a high tail, the elleth gave a soft sigh as she neared the hallway leading to the entrance courtyard. She had dressed light, black breeches and boots, teal loose-sleeved tunic with her olive green leather vest, dagger-concealing brown gauntlets on her wrists and her green traveling cloak clipped at the nape with a silver leaf. She had an inkling that most of their trek would not meet bad weather, but one couldn't take it lightly.

Her ice blue eyes recognized she was not the first to arrive, falling on the brown hair of the Gondorian as he stood near the pony they were to use to carry the extra things, and she raised a brow at his promptness. The small spat during the Council meeting at least a week ago resurfaced momentarily; while she didn't doubt his intentions were good in some way, the niggling that his monologue had left with her left her cautious.

But she would not let this dissuade her from being acquaintances with him… She had put more stock in Elves and Dwarves, though, compared to the race of Men…

"I am surprised to find I'm not the first one ready to depart." Eäriel said calmly as she descended the steps leading to the courtyard, earning the attention of the Steward's son.

Boromir looked to the lone elleth as she deposited her bag on the pony's back, nodding in courtesy to her. "Good morning to you as well, Lady Eäriel." He said.

The Wanderer looked at him from gently petting their pony's muzzle when being addressed with her title she did not care for, refraining from rolling her eyes. "Formalities are wasted on me, I'm afraid, for I do not expect favor from anyone." She said with a half-smile.

"I am addressing you in that manner for I wish to offer my apologies of what was said in the meeting… I had no idea Lord Elrond had requested his own daughter join in the Council, or that she was as open-minded." The Gondorian replied, seeing her smile falter a smidge when she looked to him from their pack animal.

"Lord Elrond is not my father by blood. Your apology is accepted, though the fact that you were requested to own up to the insults toward my friend and myself doesn't sit well with me, so therefore I have one thing to say." Eäriel declared quietly, now turned to him with her arms once again crossed at her chest.

Boromir chocked it up to his resilience as a warrior and having already been accustomed to glares filled with daggers, though the Wanderer's frosty glare that showed on her lovely face and seemed to brighten her piercing blue eyes seemed to shake that resilience ever so slightly. "Which is?" He dared ask, not minding the cool edge to his lowered voice.

Her cold glare did not waver an inch as she answered softly, frigidly, "I do not require the _favor_ of _anyone_ to make myself be heard, and I do not _bow_ _to_ or _favor_ sweet words from _any_ Man or Elf, _especially_ the esteemed firstborn of Gondor's Caretaker. Keep that _in mind_, Boromir." She saw the slight bristle in his features before turning away to face the courtyard stairwell just as Legolas came forward, a sleepy Gimli trudging after the prince's lead. "Good morning, gentlemen." She greeted calmly, addressing both Dwarf and Elf with a nod.

Gimli grunted a response, "Aye, good morning, Lady Eäriel." The last night his father and their escort from the Lonely Mountain had remained in Rivendell before departing, he had witnessed his father and the Wanderer reacquaint themselves with talks about the Company of Dwarves that remained in Erebor of the late Thorin Oakenshield and how they were faring. While he hadn't entirely been willing to trust the elleth because of their kind's past bad blood, at being reminded of her aid she'd given at the Battle of Azanulbizar decades ago, the redhead Dwarf found a measure of respect for her as she had also been at the Battle of Five Armies fighting valiantly alongside the Sons of Durin. He was still not swayed completely, compared to what he had heard of their exiled king Thorin had felt towards her; he'd even heard that he had _loved_ the She-Elf!

"Please feel free to call me '_Eäriel_', Master Dwarf! I have no use for formalities, as they are of no use in the Wild or outside of the land of my kin." Eäriel chuckled and smiled politely at the Dwarf, earning a nod from him.

Legolas did not miss the rather miffed frown on the Gondorian's brow and he inwardly sighed. "Eäriel." He looked to his friend, seeing her raise a brow before he turned to stand by the stairwell, hearing her come to join him outside of the Dwarf and Man's earshot. "_You said something, didn't you?_" He asked softly in their tongue, earning both brows to rise.

Eäriel tilted her head innocently, though the blonde could see right through that in a heartbeat, "_Just stating the ground rules… I don't see what you are getting at, _Mellonin." She replied in like tongue, shrugging.

The Mirkwood Prince sighed through his nostrils. "_By the Eldar, **please** don't tell me you threatened to emasculate him_." He grumbled.

"_I didn't think of that one_…" The Wanderer said flippantly.

"_**Eäriel**!_" He hissed, giving her a sharp look that she quirked a brow at.

A cheeky grin formed on her lips and she giggled, smiling up at his exasperated scowl. "_Be at ease, my dear prince. I said nothing of the sort… All I did was state my place in this Company and sweetly reminded him to keep it in mind should he ever forget_." She lifted a hand to pat his cheek, a patient light in her eyes as she added, "_You worry too much over me_." She released his cheek to rock back on the balls of her feet absently.

Legolas' brow twitched for a second before her soft touch had calmed him, surprising enough, yet he gave a steady exhale and crossed his arms at his chest. "_Your time spent with the Dwarves has made you nearly **twice** as impossible to keep up with, Eäri_." He said blandly.

Eäriel smiled proudly of that and also folded her arms at her chest. "_Good, it's always fun to keep you on your **toes**, princeling_." She turned about to retreat to Gimli and Boromir with a teasingly light bounce in her step.

* * *

><p>The terrain was beginning to be rocky, though the rocks were not sharp and a possible hazard, some if not most smoothed by weathering the elements. The Fellowship had traveled what felt like weeks, and most if not all of them had been grateful the downpour that had greeted them a few days back was now gone, as was their brief refuge in the small wood from the rain.<p>

Looking about the hardened terrain about their small campsite, the elleth gave a wry smile as she was reminded of the last time she had left Imladris and into the Wild, glad she had brought her coat even as the rain had left coolness in the air she associated with an impending winter. She turned about to join the others around the fire and sat with Gandalf. "This feels almost like trekking through the Misty Mountains again." She commented. "Thankfully, no goblins." She added under her breath, earning a nod from the wizard as he was smoking his pipe.

"You passed through the Misty Mountains?" Pippin, the youngest of the Hobbits she had noticed, asked, perking her ears.

Aragorn had found it amusing that he and Merry had taken a liking to the She-Elf, as Frodo and Sam had; when she was not being intimidating, Eäriel was a kind soul to the Hobbits.

Eäriel smiled thoughtfully, "Aye, I and thirteen Dwarves and a Hobbit… I would not advise you to go through there, Pippin. If the Stone-Giants wouldn't be enough of a warning." She replied, feigning a shudder at the memory.

"'_Stone-Giants'!_ Do they really look as the stories say?" Sam asked at hearing of the alleged creatures.

"Bilbo said they were terrifying, moreso in a thunder storm. Carved right out from the mountain." Frodo mused, looking at the elleth as she nodded with his depictions, the same thoughtful smile on her face.

"Very true indeed… Bilbo knows and remembers as much of the journey as I do, really. Fortunately, he was not there to see the Great Goblin…" Eäriel began, telling the Hobbits as much of her small trek into the goblin tunnels as she felt to tell them without leaving them petrified, as the older and taller members of the Company listened as she retold part of her previous journey.

Gandalf was glad, he would admit, that she did not let the death of her beloved and his nephews cloud her view with grief. She still held a jovialness that had not been marred by her losses, and for that he was glad to see.

"Mr. Bilbo once spoke about the Woodland Realm. Are the Elves there different than you and Legolas, Miss Eäriel?" Merry asked, pulling the wizard from his thoughts.

Legolas glanced momentarily at his fellow Elf as she paused to answer, knowing full well of the bitter ties she had with the Elvenking. He watched as she smiled kindly at the Hobbit's curiosity and shrugged.

"They are wise, yet most of their knowledge is of the stars and of the Eldar and Valar, the higher beings who created and established much of the land that is Middle-Earth. And if it is not of the stars, then it is in the animals and plants that lived in Greenwood the Great. While the Elvenking Thranduil is considered intimidating and even cold to outsiders of the Woodland Realm he rules over, he is one of the wisest kings I have ever met." Eäriel traced a finger along her scar absently and looked to Legolas, "I do not have much room to speak about him, though, as Legolas knows more if not as much as I do about the Woodland Realm." She smiled with a measure of fondness for her friend as she looked at his blue eyes that were as piercing as hers.

Aragorn smiled rather knowingly at the blonde prince as the four Hobbits looked from he to their She-Elf in some measure of wonder.

"I had heard the Woodland elleths were _courteous_." Boromir commented as he had sat next to Aragorn, earning a look from Gandalf.

Eäriel ignored his tone that clearly stated he was still miffed with what she had spoken to him in Rivendell, her blue eyes blandly meeting his. "Your information is not very _accurate_, then, as not all the She-Elves were as _docile_ as you believe. As my kin are, in the main, from the Woodland Realm, I can say the females are fighters, trained since they could first walk to be strong, swift, and fierce… stronger than _petty_ words and _foolish_ males who have the naivety and arrogance to ever believe they could _lay_ _a_ _finger_ on an elleth of the Woodland Realm, at least." She let a cocky smirk slightly curl her lips upward as she eyed his annoyance at being bested by a female.

A man's pride was quite literally his downfall.

"_That_ would explain the tales I've heard from my kin, then!" Gimli snuffed as he looked at the She-Elf, the story of how she had given her services to Thorin resurfacing briefly in his mind.

Eäriel looked to the Dwarf and a slightly melancholic light entered her lovely face as she nodded. "Aye, Master Gloin doesn't forget a thing, if he is able to recall the stories of the Battle of Azanulbizar. While the battle was bloody and the victory was hollow because of casualties too great for one to count, it proved to anyone who dared doubt the strength of the Line of Durin that they were not so easily defeated." She looked at the fire with a soft huff as her finger traced the scar briefly.

Legolas shot a look at Gimli as he recognized the nostalgia that overcame the She-Elf, the memory of the aftermath of the Battle of the Five Armies flashing in his mind, her grieving and broken heart… He closed his eyes briefly.

A wry smirk crossed her features as Eäriel added blandly, "Of course that was years ago… Tales have been told and songs sung. 'Suppose I am as much a _legend_ as the Dwarves of Erebor!" She joked, looking to Gimli with a chuckle.

"You don't _look_ very old, though, Miss Eäriel!" Merry said, earning a glance from the elleth, asking with a measure of respect for her, "If you don't mind, just how old are you…?"

Eäriel smiled lightly at his curiosity, briefly wondering if he was related to the Baggins, answering thoughtfully, "Let's see… Three thousand and one, I believe?" She smiled wider in amusement as Merry and Pippin's jaws nearly dropped at her age being revealed, the nostalgia gone for now from her face.

Legolas smirked wryly at her, "Still older than me." He mused, not missing Aragorn's patient eye-roll.

Eäriel made a face at his comment. "Sod off."

* * *

><p><em>* yeeeahhhh a bit of Eäriel and Legolas convo bc they're cute... not sure if it's flirting? idek anymore, i'd need an opinion of it, rly. and yey, it appears Eäriel hasn't lost her confidence <span>OR<span> witty tongue since she traveled with the Dwarves._

_* **600** **views**! thanks guys~ (:_


	4. Of Ravens & Ruins

It was another few days before they made camp again, in the territory of Hollin, formerly the Elven kingdom of Eregion, taking refuge in a small circle of rocks that were smoothed and weathered.

Eäriel listened to the air that was calm around their encampment, the noises of Boromir, Pippin and Merry beginning to partake in sparring practice, Gimli and Gandalf talking near the larger rocks of the camp, and Sam cooking a lunch for he and the trio of Hobbits with him, as none of the others (herself included) wished to eat. Her eyes narrowed slightly at the strange stillness the afternoon had, having not heard the animals that made Hollin their habitat or the birds that flew past the deserted territory, since they had stopped to make camp even for a brief moment.

Something was up, and she didn't like it one bit.

"…Could pass through the mines of Moria. My cousin Balin would give us a very royal welcome indeed!" Gimli's voice pulled her from her observations, earning a raised brow from her.

Eäriel had developed a strong backbone in her long life, but the thought of going through Moria made a shiver roll down her spine. She had fought to secure Moria for the Dwarves, long ago, yet now that the shadows had grown stronger in the sixty-year stillness in her life, she would not enter the ancient home of Durin the Deathless unless she had no other choice…

"You're thinking too much." The voice of the Ranger said as she came to sit near him as he was watching Boromir and Merry and Pippin spar, and when she raised a brow at his observation, he smiled wryly as he added, "You frown when you overthink something."

The elleth made a sideways expression as she took a perch on a smooth flat rock and idly pulled the lapels of her coat closer. "Since when were you so observant, I wonder?" She remarked.

Aragorn smiled bemusedly, "Living among Elves." He replied, not missing the defeated glint in her blue eyes.

Eäriel poked her cheeks out a smidge and huffed, stumped. "Shouldn't you be managing the sparring session?" She picked; _sure, rub it in that you lived in Imladris for the last sixty years_, she thought.

No sooner had she said that did Boromir slip on accident as he was parrying a blow from Merry and accidentally nicked his wrist. The ginger-haired Hobbit yelped slightly in pain, and as his instructor started to apologize, Pippin kicked his shin, a playful vibe settling on the trio as Merry joined in, and soon both Hobbits had tackled Boromir to the ground with laughter and feigned battle cries.

Eäriel smiled at the scuffle and shook her head, looking to Aragorn as he straightened to try and placate the situation, only to be tripped by Pippin and dragged into the horseplay. She laughed at her friend's misfortune, once again feeling light and content, as she had not felt like this in years… The last time she had felt so light and happy was… She was jerked from the oncoming nostalgia when seeing movement from the left, and her eyes looked to see Legolas was staring in the direction of the South. Her keen eyes followed where he was staring, subconsciously straightening from her seat as her equally-piercing blue orbs locked on a fast-moving cloud that was headed for their camp.

A curse in Sindarin escaped her lips as she recognized the pattern the cloud moved: it was no cloud, in fact it was far from a cloud…

"Crebain from Dunland!" Legolas announced, having recognized the flock of birds even as they were coming ever closer to Hollin.

"Hide!" Eäriel barked, as everyone scrambled to cover up any signs of life among the rocks, she finding a thick bush to crawl under with her belongings as she was grateful her green coat hid her beneath the large shrub. She heard silence befall the camp, shutting her eyes as her ears heard the vain caws of the aviary spies, the collective flapping of their wings as the flock circled their camp and then turned to retreat south, hearing the flock continue on in the direction they had come… Silence again. She gave a relieved sigh and shuffled out from under the bush with her bag, bow, quiver and sword, looking at the offered hand of aid of Boromir as he had hid near her. Blue met blue for one moment of silence before she took his hand, letting him help her to her feet and giving him a nod in thanks. "The southern border is being watched, Mithrandir." She commented as she looked to her friend with a frown on her brow.

Gandalf gave a glare in the direction of Dunland, "Spies of Saruman no doubt…" He looked to the nearby mountain pass of Caradhras, and while it was last-ditch, it was better than passing through Moria. "We'll take the pass of Caradhras, then!" He said, looking to the others gathered. Twin reluctant nods came from both Elves, a wary look passed over Aragorn's face as Boromir glanced at the Hobbits, seeming to think how they would fare in the cold snow of the mountain pass.

* * *

><p>It took the rest of the day to leave the rocky terrain of Hollin, and while she knew the Hobbits were shorter than she or the otherwise quartet of men, Eäriel was briefly surprised they moved hastily and packed things up to make time to begin the trek into the snowy pass of the Misty Mountains.<p>

Legolas looked back from walking near Gandalf at the head of the group as Eäriel was trekking near the Hobbits, keeping an eye on Merry and Pippin in particular, as Aragorn and Gimli were with Sam and Frodo in the back, leaving Boromir just ahead of Eäriel and thirdly in line. Now and then he would catch Eäriel snagging hold of either Merry or Pippin's cloaks when either Halfling stumbled in the thick snow, offering a light smile when thanked; looking forward again, the prince smirked slightly. Even with her time spent among the Dwarves, his old friend still managed to retain the light-footed touch of walking on the snow instead of trudging through it like everyone else.

Eäriel raised a brow when she distinctly saw her fellow Elf glance back at her now and then, having barely missed it twice now; she rolled her eyes and smirked at the back of his head of blonde at the lead. _Worrying is his forte_, she thought. Her ears perked as she heard Aragorn's voice rise at the rear, looking back to see he caught Frodo from his having slipped in the snow, holding onto the Ringbearer and helping him up. Eyes tightening slightly as she recognized an anxious light that appeared in the younger Baggins' face as he searched his clothes for something he'd lost, she looked to the snow where he had been standing originally to see a glint of sunlight wink off the rounded band of the One Ring.

Aragorn stiffened as Boromir had stooped to lift the Ring from the snow, lifting it by the thin gold chain attached to better examine the trinket; his green eyes caught movement from behind the Gondorian as the She-Elf rested a hand on the leather handle of her long knife strapped to her hip, her piercing blue gaze locked on Boromir apprehensively as he seemed lost in his thoughts. "Boromir." He declared sharply.

"Give the Ring back to Frodo." Eäriel finished stiffly, earning twin glances from the Hobbits she had been keeping an eye on, and while they had seen kindness and compassion from the elleth, now they saw that her face was stern and cold like her piercing eyes that were digging into Boromir's back.

Boromir shook off the tension his little moment had caused, giving a scoff under his breath as he handed it back to said Hobbit who snatched it back on reflex, looking to Aragorn namely. "As you wish, it doesn't tempt me at all!" He said, glancing back at the Wanderer's still frigid stare, "I care not for it." He looked away when her stony stare didn't waver and tousled the snow-covered head of Frodo in feigned jest before turning about to continue walking.

Eäriel looked at Aragorn as she had seen he'd placed his hand on the hilt of his sword and she gave him a nod, her tensed shoulders easing as she followed Gandalf once more, ushering Merry and Pippin along with her.

The noonday sun was soon hidden from sight as they trekked higher, a blizzard that howled and sent snow to nip and bite descending on the Fellowship as they walked.

At one point Eäriel thought she was going to have to carry one of the Hobbits, if Aragorn and Boromir didn't pick up the slack, blessedly leaving her to walk downwind with Gimli and their pony Bill.

Even against the howling wind that stung at her eyes and played with parts of her fringe that weren't covered by the hood of her cloak, the Wanderer now heard a voice carrying on the air from the South, a commanding edge to the voice even as it spoke in a tongue she had heard Gandalf speak once or twice in the time she knew him… No, the voice wasn't speaking so much as it was chanting a spell.

"There's a fell voice in the air!" Legolas said from the front. He heard the She-Elf agree from the back, "It's a spell, Gandalf! It's Saruman!" Eäriel cried, making her voice be heard over the wind.

Gandalf made to confirm her words when a crack sounded from above, and everyone hugged the side of the mountain as large boulders that had fallen from higher shelves came tumbling below, making to crush them as they fell.

"He's trying to bring down the mountain; we must turn back, Gandalf!" Aragorn yelled over the winds that howled louder now, having kept both Frodo and Sam at his side when the shelves broke above.

Gandalf aimed his staff at the direction the voice had been coming from, chanting a countering spell as his voice rose above the wind with the might and will of his power.

A shiver went through the elleth as she watched her friend try and repel the stronger Wizard's power; having known Gandalf since she was still an Elfling, Eäriel had never seen him exercise his power like he did now, and not only did she feel more respect towards him, but also a sense of fear, glad to have not ever been on the other side of his wrath. She looked up past the billowing snow to see a crack of lightning streak across the grayed sky and then her world went white with the snow that fell down on them.

* * *

><p>Both Elves were first to pop out from the snow, the wizard also extending a fist up to break through the thick blanket of snow that had fallen on the Fellowship.<p>

Eäriel gave a sigh of relief when she recognized the mountainside above, lifting herself out from under the snow's weight and shaking her head, still hearing the wind howling yet now it was softer, a sign the blizzard was dying down. She looked for the Dwarf she had been walking with and didn't worry as he shoved out from under the snowy blanket with a growl of exertion, hearing a neigh from the snow and digging out just enough of the blanket for Bill to get free. The chestnut pony whinnied and shivered from the cold, calming when the She-Elf's slender hands gripped his bridle and she eased his fretting with soft words in Sindarin, giving a soft nicker as a sign he had calmed with her murmurings, bumping his warming nose to her cheek as she smiled elatedly. She broke away from the pony to help Aragorn pull Sam and Frodo out, hoisting Frodo up without much effort, tousling his hair gently even as the Ringbearer shivered from the cold, his face almost as white as the snow yet there was relief and fading signs of surprise in his green eyes. She looked to Gandalf once Aragorn got Sam out of the snow, "What do we do now, Gandalf?" She asked, raising her voice a little when the wind howled a bit louder, meeting his blue eyes.

"It's of no use to fight Saruman here, as we can't match the might of Saruman while he's using the power of Sauron!" Gandalf answered, distinctly seeing a crestfallen look show on her lovely face.

"We've got to get off the mountain; head for the Gap of Rohan and take the West Road to my city!" Boromir proposed.

"The Gap of Rohan leads too close to Isengard!" Aragorn argued.

"I would not take the Ring to Gondor if my life depended on it!" Eäriel agreed sharply, knowing already what the Gondorian was thinking of doing, the earlier moment where he had been entranced by the accursed trinket flashing in her mind. The will of men like Boromir was weak if they were so much as exposed to the Ring… She would not dare go near the White City for fear of what reaction they would earn.

Gimli's voice pulled her from her thoughts, "If we can't go above the mountain, let us go under it!" Even as he said this, her hopes that they would not go where he proposed were diminishing by the second. "Let us go through the Mines of Moria!"

Durin's Dwarrowdelf… She knew well of what was disturbed in that dark place; it was one thing no arrow or sword of Elvish make could hope to kill, for it was something more terrifying than the strongest Gundabad Orc or troll. Gandalf was desperate if he wished to venture there.

"Let the Ringbearer decide!" Gandalf said, earning four surprised looks from Aragorn, Legolas, Eäriel and Boromir, before they looked to the aforementioned Halfling.

Frodo had no idea of what lay in Khazad-dûm, not even Bilbo knew of it! He was an innocent Hobbit, for the Eldar's sake, he wasn't aware of the nightmare that Durin had awoken in the deepest pit of the world.

"We will go through the Mines!"

The Wanderer closed her eyes with a soft and strangled exhale.

* * *

><p><em>* whoa, thanks for the uptake in follows, everyone! and the reviews are encouraging and make my day, so feel free to say something! ^^<em>

_* thankfully i've got the rest of this story planned out in my head so our next arc will be in Moria! chilling thought isn't it? hope i didn't disappoint in this chapter, either.. i've been thinking of doing an appendices ficlet for Misty Mountains O'er Me, lately. it hasn't been put down in Micro. Word yet, but if it's official i'll give you guys a head's up. _


	5. Into Darkness

She was strangely somber.

Night had fallen as they neared the West Gate, passing single-file along the narrow path that hugged the side of the mountain, as none dared stray from the path for wariness of the placid lake on the right side.

The prince looked to his fellow Elf as she kept near Gimli, once or twice breaking her silence to offer input as the Dwarf was and seemed to be the only member of the Fellowship that was excited to see the ancient halls of Durin's Dwarrowdelf. While the Wanderer would speak with a thoughtful tone in her voice if she felt like agreeing with Gimli or speaking of his kin, Legolas could see she did not seem all-too-keen on entering Moria. He couldn't blame her, really; he was sure Lord Elrond had told her of the darkness of Moria when she was an Elfling, as it was darker than the halls of Erebor, as she had told him in the past.

The prince was still at a loss as to why his old friend still favored the Dwarves even after they had left her with a broken heart and a hole that had been taken out with the loss of Thorin Oakenshield.

Eäriel looked at the tree she neared, the gnarled branches and wizened bark of the white aged tree, and she pulled the lapels of her coat closer to her chest on habit, a furrow softly crinkling her brow. She didn't feel at ease, even as the vain hope of seeing Balin again entertained her conscious, even with Legolas walking only feet infront of her as he was near Gandalf. To be frank, she was not sure how to feel; happy to hopefully see her old friend who had become Lord of Moria a few decades ago, or reluctant because of the danger that would meet them in the abysmal darkness of the ancient kingdom.

"Dwarf doors aren't visible when closed, a method to keep out unwanted guests!" Gimli huffed as he was tapping the stone wall on their left, earning her attention.

The Wanderer rolled her eyes, "I am sure Master Balin wouldn't keep out his kinsmen from reentering Moria, or old friends." She remarked calmly.

Gandalf agreed as he inspected the walls, "It is possible for their masters to not see them if the secrets are somehow lost or forgotten."

Legolas raised a dubious brow, barely covering up a scoff. "That wouldn't surprise me."

Eäriel pinched the bridge of her nose as Gimli '_harrumphed_' at the prince's comment. "I thought I was the somber one here…" She grumbled, having the sudden urge to flick his ear as she would do in younger days. "I'm sure you would get along with Balin, Legolas. If I can get along with Dwarves, it's not entirely difficult." She offered, the somber manner she had carried since nearing the West Gate now slowly fading.

Legolas looked at her with both brows lifted, wondering if she had gotten hit on the head with a rock when they were on Caradhras. "And how would **that** play out, I wonder?" He ignored Gimli's snort even as the Dwarf had also looked at their She-Elf with the same disbelief.

Eäriel folded her arms at her chest. "I imagine Balin would extend the same hospitality to the Prince of the Woodland Realm as he and his kinsmen did to a rogue elleth long ago." She replied, and while she seemed thoughtful of such a prospect, thinking of Balin made her think of Thorin, and Fili and Kili… But she would not let this get her down again.

Not today anyway.

While Gimli was rather taken aback at the She-Elf's defense of his people, he was smug when seeing her words had left a slightly stung look on the prince's face, his mouth formed into a thin line.

Gesturing the clouds move from concealing the moon's light from their company, Gandalf looked to the runes on the doors, the white light highlighting the intricately carved design of two trees' branches over a set of seven stars and a crown on the middle; the elleth's eyes caught particularly on a hammer and anvil carved beautifully onto the stone.  
><em><br>Celebrimbor did a beautiful job_, Eäriel thought, a small smile beginning to form as she thought of Thorin when seeing the symbols representing his ancestor. "**_Ennyn Durin aran Moria. Pedo Mellon a minno_**." She said as she recognized the words were in Sindarin, her tone thoughtful even as her voice was softened, earning a raised brow from her fellow Elf.

"_'The Doors of Durin, Lord of Moria; speak 'Friend' and enter'!_" Gandalf translated for the others who hadn't understood the Elvish inscription.

Merry looked to the wizard, "What does that mean?" He asked.

"It's actually simple, if you are a friend you speak the password, and the doors will open." Gandalf answered calmly, pointing the gem of his staff at the doors and then reciting the command for the doors to open.

Nothing happened.

Eäriel raised a brow as Gandalf then tried to open the doors again by force. _The doors obviously don't answer to elaborate commands_, she thought, not choosing to voice her opinion for she could see the wizard was growing irritated at the lack of entrance into the Dwarrowdelf.

"I once knew every spell for the tongues of Elves, Men, and Orcs…" Gandalf said thoughtfully, almost as if in disbelief.

Pippin wondered as he had come forward with Merry, "What're you going to do, then?"

"Knock your head against these doors, Peregrin Took! And if _that_ doesn't work, then at least I will have some peace from foolish questions and time to think on the correct answer." Gandalf clipped irritably, staring at the door and then muttering under his breath as he tried to use another spell or command.

Eäriel patted Pippin's head gently as he and Merry shuffled away to let the Wizard think, she doing the same. She looked out at the darkness of the mountainous area surrounding the West Gate, crossing her arms at her chest and exhaling softly. She didn't wish to enter Moria, as she knew from stories and accounts from her Dwarf friends that it was darker than the halls of Erebor; and then there was that issue about caves and Elves… Closing her eyes, she could almost envision the stone walls of the great Dwarf Kingdom as if it were yesterday, the green color that was given off the sunlit halls, gold light from the lanterns and treasure hull in the lower echelons making the stone kingdom seem warm…

A crowned Dwarf-king with black hair and silver streaks of grey in his hair and beard, smiling at her with stormy blue eyes…

Her eyes snapped open and she looked to see she was not alone as she stood on the far edge of the pathway, his own blue eyes staring at the black waters of the lake before them. She felt herself calm and she absently reached to fiddle with the braid behind her left ear, thinking on what she had said prior to their coming to the doors of the West Gate. Brow softly furrowing, she glanced away to the waters. "Legolas…" She began.

"This place leaves me uneasy… It is plain to see you feel the same." Legolas mused quietly.

Eäriel bit her lip and kept her stare on the waters, nodding. "Aye, it does. From what I recall, Moria was not as dim as it is now, after the Battle of Azanulbizar." A wry huff escaped her as she added, "Erebor makes Moria look like the Goblin Tunnels." It was true indeed, for she had not lingered long in Goblintown as her friends had, and she didn't regret it. She still remembered the vulgar face of the Goblin king, and still loathed him.

"The days were not as dark then as they are now…" He agreed, the memory of when she had first left the Woodland Realm flashing briefly, her compassion she had felt for the Dwarves, the belief she had not survived that battle… He shook his head, brow furrowing slightly.

Eäriel looked at the water as she could swear she saw movement, her eyes sharpened as the faintest disturbance in the dark waters beyond her reach was seen before the surface went smooth like glass… She instinctively fingered the handle of her knife.

"It's a riddle," Frodo's voice said from near Gandalf, making both Elves look to him; the Ringbearer looked from the Wizard to the two Elves. "What's the Elvish word for _'friend'?_" He asked.

"_Mellon_." Eäriel answered on habit, ears perking as the doors gave a low groan and soon opened for them, momentarily relieving the members of the Fellowship. She smiled wryly at that, trodding to follow Gandalf and Gimli as they were the first ones to enter the doors; passing by Frodo, she nodded to him and smiled kindly. "Clever mind indeed, Frodo." There was no mistaking that he was Bilbo's kin.

"Soon, Master Elf, you'll enjoy the highly-spoken-of hospitality of the Dwarves! Roaring fires, malt beer… ripe meat off the bone!" Gimli boasted proudly, the She-Elf's earlier defense of his cousins putting confidence in his words.

The Dwarf did not seem to notice the hall was eerily silent.

Eäriel kept her bow in hand, the earlier disturbance of the waterfront plus the deafening silence of the entrance hall she felt was highly ominous, keeping her on her toes. She quickly grew accustomed to the darkness, looking to Gandalf ahead as he illuminated the stale air of the hall with light from the gem of his staff, her sharp eyes scanning the dark hall.

Balin didn't strike her as a Dwarf who was opposed to the warm light of a torch or chandelier.

Her left boot toe hit the rounded surface of something hard like ceramic; stiffening, she looked down and inhaled sharply, as she had rarely come across what she had just tapped with her foot.  
><em><br>A skull_.

"Gandalf…" She began warily.

"This is the great home of my cousin Balin, and they call it a mine… a _mine!_" Gimli scoffed aloud, still seeming oblivious.

Boromir was also looking at how off the silent hall was, his eyes that were still adjusting to the darkness around them registering on a skeleton near the She-Elf's foot. "This is no mine… It's a tomb!" He hissed.

Gandalf's light shone on the skeletons that littered the floor around them, all eyes zipping to the long-dead corpses of felled warriors, as the lone Dwarf gave an anguished howl of grief at the sight.

Plucking a thin arrow from the skull of one corpse near him, Legolas didn't need to look further on the used arrow in his hand. "Goblins!" He said in disgust, hearing the soft creaking of a bowstring as Eäriel loaded an arrow into her bow and he joined her shortly after.

"We head for the Gap of Rohan; we shouldn't have come here!" Boromir declared as he and Aragorn had drawn their swords when the Elves loaded their bows with an arrow, "Now get out, you fools; get out!" He added as everyone save the mourning Gimli seemed to be of like mind, backing away from the scene to the doors.

A yelp of fear came from the Hobbits as they were near the back of the group, making the five taller members of the Fellowship look to see Frodo was pulled back out into the night by a long tentacle wrapped around his ankle.

"Frodo!" Aragorn barked as he rushed to help the Hobbit, Boromir, Legolas and Eäriel quickly following, both men rushing into the water to save the Hobbit. Sam, Merry and Pippin attempted to save their friend from the beast's grip, and it seemed their attempt had worked, before at least a dozen tentacles shot out from the waters to toss them away as the beast grabbed the Halfling again.

Eäriel's arrow streaked to pierce the tentacle that held Frodo and a growled curse escaped her as it did nothing, even though Aragorn's sword that sliced the tentacle holding the Halfling worked as he was left to fall into the waiting arms of Boromir. "Eäriel, Legolas!" Boromir called as he and Aragorn scrambled to the shore with the beast readying to attack them again.

Twin arrows pierced the glassy eyes of the monster that had arisen to eat the Halfling, angering it as a cry of pain came from the tentacle ilk.

Legolas grabbed Eäriel's hand and sprinted after the men and Hobbit as they made it back inside the hall; a loud crash sounded as the beast's tentacles that had shot out to take vengeance on the archers brought the stone Gate down, creating a blocked escape, the rubble nearly crushing the Fellowship had they not moved out of the way in time, as the hall was in abyss-like darkness again.

Eäriel blinked once or twice to become accustomed to the brightened light of Gandalf's staff, noticing Legolas had not let go of her hand yet; she looked at him and gave a small smile of thanks, squeezing his hand before slipping hers free of his grasp.

They were now blocked from the way they'd come, left to trek through the darkened kingdom to the Dimrill Gate.

"We're now left with but one choice… We must face the long and dark trek through Moria. Be on your guard, for there are things much fouler than Orcs in the deeper places of the world." Gandalf said grimly as he took the lead again, his staff's light guiding their path they took.

* * *

><p>Four days until they reached the East Gate… Lovely.<p>

The elleth had kept to walking with Aragorn at the end of the line, not entirely liking the fact that they were unnoticed by whatever was living in the darkened kingdom. The feeling of anxiety was all too familiar to her, as she had felt it in Mirkwood sixty years ago… Even so, she hated it with every fiber in her being.

Eäriel perked an ear as Gandalf lifted his staff to examine thin vein-like breaks in the rock wall on his left; she squinted slightly at seeing the breaks glinted light from his staff… She raised both brows in interest.

"…Wealth of Moria wasn't in gold, or jewels, but in Mythril." Gandalf said as he lowered his staff to shine the light over the edge of the walkway they were on, and all eyes fell on the brilliant light reflected from many more breaks in the rock.

"Mythril…" Eäriel murmured, recalling that she had seen it before, long ago. "Thorin!" She said his name, as she hadn't had the heart to say it in the last sixty years, yet as the revelation of where exactly she'd seen the aforementioned steel-like material dawned on her and banished the guilt and depression away at the mere mention of the late Dwarf-king.

Gimli perked up at hearing the familiar name, looking at Gandalf who had also looked at the She-Elf and nodded his head.

"Bilbo had a shirt of rings of Mythril that Thorin gave him as a sign of friendship." Gandalf added as he pulled the light away so they could continue, mentioning when Gimli commented that that was a 'kingly gift', "I never told Bilbo, but that shirt's worth was greater than the entire value of the Shire!"

Eäriel smiled fondly at the reminder, chuckling quietly. "If I recall correctly, you were fashionably late at least **twice** on that quest, Gandalf." She said.

Gandalf smiled wryly at her reminder, remarking, "Things change, my dear Eäriel."  
><em><br>Not everything_, Eäriel thought, quieting as she thought of Thorin, and Fili and Kili, and Balin… She looked at the path that stood before them that was being shown via the light of Gandalf's staff, frowning at the grim reality.

If those corpses of Dwarves they had seen were enough of an indicator, then the hope that Balin was still alive was all but gone.  
><em><br>Balin_… The elleth exhaled softly. _Aulë help him to his forefathers' halls_, she thought.

* * *

><p><em>No memory of this place<em>… The lone female replayed her friend's words in her head and she took a glance at the fork in the road they were faced with; she blew strands of fringe from her view and folded her arms with an exhale.

Perhaps the anxiety she had been feeling coupled with the instinctive urge to see the sun and feel its warmth on her face was making her irritated… She hated feeling like that.

Of course the anxiety at least was steered at something she was aware of, compared to the spiders and fell beasts she had felt while in Mirkwood decades ago.

Gollum had been following them for the last few days, keeping his distance for fear of being killed by the taller and more dangerous members of the Fellowship she deemed, waiting for his opportunity to snatch the Ring back.

Eäriel bristled at recognizing she had almost come in contact with the grubby little ilk in the Goblin Tunnels… She glared at the darkness of the stone walls beyond her reach.

If she had asked Bilbo sooner about his '_magic trick_', if she or Gandalf had taken it from him at a sooner time…

"Ah, it's that way!" Gandalf spoke up from where he had been sitting before the fork, making all eyes look to him with surprise and elation.

"He's remembered!" Merry said as he hopped up to follow the Wizard who had turned to the middle hall covered in darkness much like everything else they had passed through.

Gandalf replied calmly, "No, it's the air as it doesn't smell so foul in this direction. When in doubt, Meriadoc, always follow your nose." He smiled at the ginger-haired Hobbit before leading them on.

Eäriel smiled wryly as she had decided to walk with Legolas this time, earning a briefly surprised look from the prince, before he had smiled a little at her.

While the Wanderer was fully capable of protecting herself, the Mirkwood Prince found comfort in the fact that she hadn't strayed out of his sight. Again.

The air did indeed not smell as offensive as it had earlier, now that she thought on it; the elleth looked up as Gandalf's light highlighted, what she could make out even with her keen eyes, thick and tall pillars of stone that gave off a forest green hue when the light touched them.

"Let me risk a bit more light…" Gandalf muttered as the light from the gem grew brighter so the group could see the pillars of stone that framed and stood proudly in the large hall. "Behold the great realm and city of Dwarrowdelf." He said as he imagined everyone was as amazed at the splendor of the stone hall.

Eäriel gave a soft sigh, now knowing her suspicions were proven true. There was no warmth in this place, no Dwarves coming forth to welcome them into Durin's Dwarrowdelf, and this left her sad. _Thorin_… The memory of when she had first laid eyes on him long ago resurfaced, and being inside the stronghold he had fought to reclaim from the Orcs left her nearly in grief again.

Legolas glanced at the She-Elf as she reflexively hugged herself, and he placed a hand on her shoulder; seeing her stiffen slightly at his touch, he looked at her surprised blue eyes and inwardly grimaced at the sadness in her eyes he had once recalled were bright as stars, his hand on her shoulder squeezing gently, silently reminding her that she was not alone.

A small weak smile crept onto her lips and the elleth gripped his hand tight for a moment before letting go, following Gandalf as he led them further into the silent Dwarrowdelf; the prince watched her go before he followed shortly, frowning at noticing her back seemed smaller once more.

The Dwarves had left her less than what she once was, given her false hope that she had placed in their late king… Yet she pressed on, trying to cover up her sadness with the indifferent wall she had honed for years, trying to bury her grief on Ravenhill.

She was indeed a warrior at heart, and once again he was left to wonder whether to admire her for it or hate that she had shouldered these things on her own for the last sixty years.

Gimli broke away from the group to rush into a side-chamber giving an ominous light from inside, not heeding Gandalf's beckon as he went.

Frowning, Eäriel ran after him, leading the others in her wake. She came to a halt as she looked on the light as it shone down on a rectangular sarcophagus that the lone Dwarf was kneeled at as he grieved for the dead inside the coffin; she glanced at the long-dead bodies strewn here and there in the chamber and she grimaced at his loss, hearing the others catch up as she neared the raised sarcophagus.

Reading the carved Khuzdul on the front of the lid, she felt the corners of her eyes burn as Gimli gave a strangled groan in mourning. "Balin." Eäriel breathed softly, closing her eyes and dipping her head down as she placed a hand on the sarcophagus, fingertips grazing the smooth and dust-covered lid, murmuring a soft prayer of lament for the loss of her friend.

Aragorn looked on the silently grieving elleth and lowered his gaze in respect as Legolas looked on their friend with empathy. The former had heard her recount her previous quest to him years ago, and he imagined that while she mourned the late Dwarf's passing, he couldn't imagine seeing her mourn the loss of her beloved.

Glancing at Gandalf as she noticed he'd picked up a large tome from one of the Dwarf corpses near the sarcophagus, Eäriel rubbed the underside of her nose gingerly and listened as he recited the words written in the book's dusty and worn pages, "…They have taken the bridge, and second hall… We have barred the gates, but can't hold them for long. Drums… drums in the deep." Even as he recited the words scrawled, it made an uneasy shiver race down her spine, and the elleth stiffened at the unwelcomed sense of dread, "We cannot get out… A shadow moves in the dark."

Gandalf looked to his companions as the elleth finally looked at him, the plea for the sense of unease and restlessness to flee from her in her blue eyes, and he said the last few words left on the page, "They are coming."

Eäriel nearly yelped in surprise when a sudden crash sounded, ringing out loudly in the hollow chamber, making the others jump as well at the noise; jerking her stare to where the noise had originated, the elleth could swear she felt her face drain of color as a cobweb-infested skeleton clad in armor fell down into the abyss darkness of the lone well in the room. She looked to the culprit of the noise and found Pippin had been the one; she looked away when seeing the guilt in his eyes and inhaled, not knowing whether to book it out of the room and for the Dimrill Gate or to let her feet remain glued to the stone floor.

A moment of silence as thick as the stone pillars outside of the chamber settled between the Fellowship; Valar's sake, they were sure to be found out now. _So much for four days' worth of silence_, she thought bitterly, perking up as Gandalf slammed the tome shut to break the silence.

"Fool of a Took!" Gandalf scolded sharply, turning to retrieve his hat and staff from the ashamed and sheepish Hobbit, adding in the same sharp tone even as he kept his voice quiet as a vain last-ditch effort, "Throw yourself in next time, and rid us of your stupidity!"

Both Elves' sharp ears heard it first, yet the noise was loud enough that the others with not-as-sharp hearing heard it just as easily.

A loud boom sounded from the abyss below the well, resounding even in the chamber they were gathered in, a rhythmic beat thrumming as a warning as more booming noises came out, tearing apart the tense silence that had plagued the group.

Eäriel instinctively drew Hathelas by a few inches and growled out a curse in Sindarin; the blade glowed a brilliant teal color. "Eru's sake!" She hissed, returning the sword to its scabbard only to draw her bow in the same quick motion, notching an arrow as Frodo had checked his own sword's blade at the same time; her eyes sharpened slightly at recognizing Sting. "Orcs!" Legolas grumbled as he and Eäriel heard the shrieks of said beasts even as the cave-dwelling beasts were soon to storm in on their room.

Boromir moved closer to the door to poke his head out; "Fool, get in here!" Eäriel snapped at him, watching him jerk his head back in as he had narrowly dodged twin black arrows that had meant to pierce his skull from the dark halls. The elleth perked her ears as a low roar came from amongst the oncoming Orcs, and she felt a rueful smirk form on her lips at recognizing that noise.

Having closed the doors, Boromir huffed in the same rueful manner, "They have a cave troll!" He said before he and Aragorn barred the doors with two axes, even as the effort was makeshift.

"Stay close to Gandalf!" Eäriel instructed as the Hobbits crowded near the Wizard, nearing Legolas' side as he also had an arrow notched and ready to fire, the reminder of the last batch of Orcs she had fought in Moria resurfacing.

Thorin cutting off Azog's left hand flashed in her mind, his brave feat lingering… She shook her head and growled under her breath.  
><em>No, not today… not now!<em>

"Eäriel." Aragorn spoke when recognizing the somber mask beginning to take hold of his friend's lovely face, mirroring the Elves and having drawn his bow with an arrow notched.

"_I'm fine!_" Eäriel assured tartly, tensing in place as the Orcs began pounding at the barricaded door, shrill screeches and snarls of anger resounding from the other side of the door; her blue eyes took on a frigid light as she tightened her grip on the bow in hand. "_Go on, you disgusting filth_…" She did not need Aragorn or Legolas or even Gandalf worrying for her well-being, not right now.

She was a warrior, a battle-strengthened elleth with viciousness in every swing of her blades… She did not need a crutch.

Gimli was of like mind, if not more enraged at the impending Orcs, the murderers of his kin… "Let them come, then! There is still yet one Dwarf in Moria who breathes!" He growled out in defiance from his place atop Balin's tomb.

If she hadn't been focusing on channeling her infuriation and bitterness towards the Orcs, Eäriel would've said that Gimli sounded much like a true Son of Durin.

A piece of the door was poked in just then, and the sharp tip of a black spear replaced the piece of wood that was stabbed inward. Legolas' arrow streaked to pierce the foolish Orc that had stuck its spear, a pained squeal coming from the ilk, as Aragorn's arrow soon flew in the same direction to slay the beast.

Eäriel's smirk widened a smidge as adrenaline filled her veins, the doors being broken down next as the Orcs made their assault at last; her notched arrow was sent flying into the forehead of one large Orc, and she let loose a second arrow at an Orc that sought to avenge his felled comrade.

Arrows soon were of little use against the Orcs that now surrounded the Fellowship inside the chamber, making blades much more useful.

Eäriel deftly moved aside as a tall Orc lunged at her left, the curved blade of her long knife singing as it stabbed into the beast's sternum; yanking it free as the Orc fell, she perked up as a loud roar sounded again, looking to see two Orcs were leading a tall cave troll forward, the beast carrying what appeared to be a large club. "Making up for my not killing the other trolls, aren't I, Thorin?" She muttered, hearing a screech come from her right and she ducked the sharp swing of an Orc's crude mace. Twisting on her heel, she snarled as her long knife dug into the charging ilk's belly; there was a cold and vicious light in her eyes as she watched the emotions displayed on the Orc's face flash before her sight as her blade skewered through to its back. Yanking her blade free, a soft 'thud' sounded as the ilk fell, and she sneered down at the body.

"Eäriel!" Boromir shouted, perking her ears and she narrowly jumped out of the way of the troll's club that would've hit where she had been standing seconds prior; blue met blue for one second and she smiled wryly in thanks, perking up as she recognized it had spotted the Hobbits as it was barreling in that direction.

She never liked trolls, mostly because they were so bloody daft.

Twin arrows streaked at the beast, hitting their mark in the side of its neck, but they might as well have been darts. The elleth growled under her breath and notched an arrow, sending it flying at the troll's neck; to her disdain, it ignored her and instead went after Frodo; she rushed after it and would've gotten her sword's blade into its neck from behind had a lumbering Orc not almost sideswiped her from the right. She lashed out with Hathelas, the teal-glowing blade singing as it cut into the ilk's chest sharply; having backed slightly, she rushed the Orc and used its torso as leverage as she sprang into the air to launch herself at the troll.

The troll was close to cornering the Ringbearer before it roared in pain and annoyance, turning to try and get at the elleth that had landed on its back, her boots digging into its strong shoulders as she was digging her blades into its shoulders to divert its attention.

"Run, Frodo!" Eäriel shouted when she had the troll's attention on her, twisting her knives' blades into its thick shoulders, only seeming to further annoy the beast, and she clung onto it as it turned and twisted about to try and get her off its back.

Legolas swiftly stabbed into another Orc's neck, looking at the troll in slight surprise to see a familiar elleth was riding its back, if its annoyed snarls were anything to go by; he dodged another Orc that launched itself at his left, his knife jabbing into its neck and he yanked it free. _Why did she have to challenge the biggest one there…?_ He could swear he was going to strangle her one day for her recklessness, notching an arrow now that he had an opening, watching the troll snarl as it turned in his direction with its torso left unprotected. His arrow streaked into the air to hit its mark, yet it was a hollow victory as the troll's skin was thick like its puny brain.

The arrow from Legolas had seemed to further irritate the troll as it roared and reached for her again; she had seen the exasperated look on the prince's face and smiled in slight sheepishness, perking up as the troll's large hand caught her left leg. She barely managed to get her knives out before she was sent flying with a yelp.

"Eäriel!" Aragorn barked, lunging at the troll with renewed energy as it turned about to resume its pursuit of Frodo.

Her head was spinning slightly, and the elleth grimaced at having been thrown, as pain bloomed in the back of her skull and back; opening her eyes, she looked up in confusion to meet a pair of blue eyes that were as piercing as hers. "Legolas." She declared, closing her eyes and shaking her head before feeling his hands hold her face gently.

"You're alright," the prince said in elation even as he had more than enough cause to demand why on earth she had chosen to attack that stupid troll… She was just lucky he had caught her before she'd been thrown through the wall.

Eäriel smiled wryly and nodded, holding his hand to her cheek for a second longer before she let go, gingerly getting to her feet with little help from her friend, perking up as she recognized Aragorn now fighting against the troll. "Aragorn!" She barked, looking from him to the troll as the latter swung its arm at him, making him move to the side, her eyes finding the Ringbearer as he had hid behind a pillar that the troll had been sniffing around. "**No**!" She shouted as the beast cornered him and proceeded to stab a nearby spear's blade into his chest.

A raven's caw sounded as the elleth flew to stab her knives into its shoulders near the neck, making the troll turn its attention to her once more, an angered roar escaping the troll.

Her blades dug into its flesh even as she heard both Pippin and Merry chucking rocks at it, keeping her boot heels dug into its back, and she rode it as it turned in the direction where the Mirkwood prince was; she dug her blades in and yanked on the thick metal collar it wore on its neck, baring its fat jugular. "**Legolas**!" She shouted.

Twin arrows pierced the troll's throat, and she yanked her blades free only to stab them into its skull.

Eäriel panted slightly even as she growled out to the dying troll, "**That** was for Balin."

Legolas watched the elleth jump off the troll as it fell forward onto its face, seeing she landed on the stone with expert feet; she looked up at him and he held her stare in his before cracking a smile, to which she nodded and smiled back in relief as he jumped from his perch to land next to her. He followed as she rushed to Aragorn as he was looking at where the troll had stabbed Frodo, only to find the Hobbit was still alive; her eyes widened in surprise and she caught the glint of silver underneath his shirt.

'_A token of our friendship'_… The stormy blue eyes flashed in her mind again as she looked on the Hobbit's inherited gift.

"Thorin…" Eäriel murmured, her ears perking as she looked to the doors, stepping away from the group. She briefly dared a look into the darkness and pulled her head back in with a scowl as she heard the sounds of more Orcs. "Gandalf, we must go; we'll be cornered again if we linger!" She declared grimly.

The Fellowship spared no time in listening to the elleth's words, rushing out of the chamber at top speed. They ran through a dark and long hall and up at least several flights of stairs before coming into a large hall with the same thick pillars of emerald-hued stone, the air seeming warm despite the dead silence inside the empty hall.

Both Elves notched an arrow in their bows as soon the group was surrounded by their pursuers, huddled into a circle with the Hobbits in the middle and Gandalf's light illuminating the gruesome faces of the Orcs and goblins that had found them. Aragorn glanced over at the lone female only to see there was a steely determination brightening her piercing eyes, her notched arrow aimed at the grubby cave-dwellers that growled and sneered at them.

Eäriel absolutely loathed being cornered.

As she fought the biting reality that they were clearly outnumbered, it was a surprise to see the horde suddenly back off, scuttling back into the darkness and away from the Fellowship. She looked on in confusion and lowered her bow, ears twitching as the air's warmth seemed to heighten in temperature; she looked down one hallway leading to their hall and felt her face drain of color as she noted the orange glow slowly coming towards them.

Legolas also looked in the direction she was staring at when seeing fear glint in her eyes, his eyes tightening as he also saw the orange glow.

"To the bridge of Khazad-dûm, run!" Gandalf ordered as he had already sensed the foul demon headed in their direction, leading the way as the Fellowship sprinted in the direction of the bridge.

* * *

><p>Legolas was the first to land on the other side of the tall stairwell that had a large chunk of it broken off, turning to the Fellowship in time to catch Eäriel as she jumped across the way, gripping the sleeve of her coat as she steadied her footing with little effort. "Gandalf!" He urged the Wizard who jumped after the elleth, being caught by both Elves and left to regain his footing.<p>

Eäriel caught Sam and Pippin as they were thrown across the way, fastening her grip on their cloaks before letting them hurry to Gandalf; she watched Boromir grab Merry and proceed to also jump, her hand quickly grabbing his collar as his feet almost teetered back, yanking him forward and sharing a nod when he looked at her in thanks. "Gimli, c'mon!" She declared as she looked to the Dwarf.

Aragorn made to toss the Dwarf before being shooed off, refraining from rolling his eyes, ears perking as an arrow streaked to hit the part of the stairwell he, Frodo and Gimli stood on, only to see Eäriel send her own arrow singing to kill the assailant in the shadows.

Gimli took a brief running start only to leap across the gap, and he almost didn't make it if Legolas' swift grab for his beard prevented it. "Not the beard!" He growled in a mixture of frustration and fear, leaning forward as the Elf pulled him forth onto the safer end of the stairwell, an arrow from an Orc in the shadows narrowly missing his footing. "Oi!" He barked, hearing a vain screech of pain come from the archer as the elleth's well-placed arrow had made its mark in the beast's forehead.

Eäriel jerked her attention away for a moment when hearing a low groan from the less-stable part of the stairwell, looking to see Aragorn and Frodo were still on it. She gave a sigh of relief when Aragorn and Frodo barely landed on their half safely, shouldering her bow as she fell in step after Gandalf's lead with Boromir between them and Legolas at her heels, shepherding the Hobbits after both man and wizard.

She heard the Orcs resume their pursuit of the Fellowship, and she had half a right mind to turn and fight, yet reason and the reality of their quest prevented her from behaving as she would've sixty years past. Looking forward at the thin bridge that led to their escape from the darkness of Moria, she was actually beginning to feel like they would escape in one piece, as a whole…

Once again, reality nagged at the recesses of her mind and reminded her that they were yet out of the darkness.

"Over the bridge, fly!" Gandalf declared as he urged everyone across the bridge first as he took the tail.

Eäriel heard a low roar sound from the darkness they'd left, and she shivered, practically feeling the malice and red-hot wrath of the beast that had found them at last. She turned around to look for Gandalf and her eyes widened as she beheld the tall shadow-beast.

The Balrog stood tall, taller than a tree, its skin an ashy gray, orange and red flames filling its eye sockets and thinly framing its muscled form that had a head similar to a ram's.

A crippling thought occurred then, a thought that brought the horrid memory of her parents' demise to the fore: swords and arrows were of no use, not to this monstrous ilk, as they would be like flies to a horse's tail… She was defenseless against the Balrog.

"_You shall not pass!_" Gandalf's loud threatening voice yanked her from the darker corners of her conscious, her eyes beholding as he stood alone against the beast.

"Gandalf!" Frodo cried behind her.

Eäriel realized with further dread that Gandalf would take on this beast; he would defeat it so they could escape… He would sacrifice himself for them!

Even as the Balrog brandished a fiery whip and sword in threat against the Wizard, Gandalf held both Glamdring and his staff in hand as he stated again, "I am a servant of the Sacred Fire, wielder of the Flame of Anor… The dark fire will not save you, flame of Udûn! Retreat to the Shadow!" With a noise of defiance, he caught the Balrog's fiery sword that fell on him, using Glamdring to shove it away as shards of blade flew into the air.  
><em><br>Eru please, no_… She couldn't lose someone else that was important to her, not again…

Raising Glamdring and his staff overhead, Gandalf cried, "_**You**. **will**. **not**. **pass**!_" He brought both weapons to hit the stone of the bridge sharply, making the bridge give a shudder and begin cracking as the Balrog advanced again, watching it shatter under the beast's weight. The Balrog fell into the abyss chasm below the bridge, leaving a brief wave of relief to settle on the Fellowship, as Gandalf breathed a slight sigh of elation. He began to turn in their direction when the sound of a whip being cracked below shattered the moment like glass, hooking around his ankle and yanking him to the bridge face-first, his sword and staff slipping from his grasp.

"**NO**!" Eäriel shouted as she made to go to him before Legolas grabbed her arm in time, squirming against his grip that was tight like iron, "Gandalf…!" She looked into the Wizard's blue eyes as he still clung to the edges of the broken bridge, the breath leaving her lungs for one moment that might as well have been an Age.

Gandalf had looked to the others before his eyes rested on the elleth's, the elleth he had seen grow into a strong warrior with compassion, tears gathering in her pale blue eyes... "Fly, you fools!" He breathed out before he let go of the edge.

"_**GANDALF**!_" Eäriel screamed, tears burning at her eyes as they fell, and she squirmed even more against Legolas as he still held fast, the tears blurring her vision as she wept and tried vainly to get free, not even feeling the ground leave her feet as the prince hoisted her over his shoulder, carrying her as he flew after the others to the Dimrill Gate only minutes away.

Minutes away and they would be free… Free save one.

Legolas didn't trust Eäriel to return to the bridge they had abandoned, keeping her in his grasp even as she still protested, her shoulders shaking with grief and anger at herself for not helping Gandalf... He held her even as she still wept, her face buried in his neck as she mourned. He shuddered as he recalled she had not had anyone to comfort her when she had first lost her beloved, or his nephews, or her parents… It was no wonder she reacted this way, having to relive the horrid reality that she had lived while others she loved dearly had died in her stead. His arms fastened tighter around her small waist, feeling her shiver and whimper softly as the tears had all-but ceased, her own hands gripping his shoulders tight.

"Boromir, Gimli, get them up; we are not out of the woods yet." Aragorn declared as he had looked ahead, trying his damnedest to not dwell on their loss, having not the urge to look on Eäriel as she was secured in Legolas' arms.

"Give them a moment for the gods' sakes!" Boromir protested, looking to the Ranger.

Legolas chimed with his friend, "These hills will be swarming with Orcs come nightfall; Aragorn is right… We must reach Lorien soon." He said, letting the elleth slip free of his grasp as she rubbed her nose and sniffed, looking away from his eyes with what he assumed to be shyness, regaining herself once more.

"The borders aren't far from here… Come." Eäriel declared quietly, turning east and leading the charge at a sprint, her hair she'd kept in a tail flying as a banner in her wake.

Aragorn and Legolas shared a look before following her, Boromir, Gimli and the Hobbits shortly bringing up the rear with the elleth in the lead.

* * *

><p><em>** not sure if i gave the correct saying in Sindarin for the West Gate's runes.. feel free to correct me if elsewise! ^^'<em>

_** sorry for the wait, everyone! been kinda busy dealing with life and well.. you know how it goes. reviews are loved as usual, and also, thanks for the increase in favs/ follows, guys! _


	6. Lamenting Song

She had not visited Lorien in years… At least well over two millennia, if memory served her well.

Blessedly Aragorn decided to take the lead once they broke through the first line of trees of Lorien, allowing her to fall back to walk with Boromir and the Hobbits.

As the Fellowship continued deeper into the wood, her ears twitched as she heard the voice of the Lady of Lorien softly steal into her mind; at first it was a whisper, yet now it was at normal speech level as they trekked further into the wood.

'_You have changed little in your long years, Wanderer, even as grief still remains in your heart… Yet I am glad to see your tragedies have made you stronger than your father had hoped you would become. You have courage still, dear wolf child_.'

The elleth smiled ruefully at the name she had been addressed with, as it had not been heard by her ears since she was younger. She inwardly sighed, '_Yes, Lady Galadriel_.' She mentally replied, her ears twitching as she looked at Gimli when he shushed the Hobbits near him.

"Stick close, young Hobbits; I've heard it said that a great sorceress, an Elf-Witch, lives in these woods! An Elf-Witch of terrible power… All who look upon her face are never heard from again." Gimli said gravely, keeping his axe on hand as he continued on after Aragorn and Legolas.

Eäriel shook her head, "She is not as dangerous as you have been informed, Master Dwarf. I have met her before, and I assure you that she bodes no ill will against desperate travelers." She corrected gently, having decided to speak since they had left the Dimrill Gate.

"That would depend on how she views Elves and Dwarves; **I** would think so, at least." Gimli snuffed, not seeing her shake her head again in mild exasperation.

The elleth watched as the Lady had seemed to mentally speak to Frodo next, as he was nearest her, and she smiled slightly as Sam gently shook Frodo from whatever conversation the Lady of Lorien had pulled him into.

"Well, here's _one_ Dwarf she won't entrance so easily! I have the ears of a fox and eyes of a hawk…" Gimli boasted gruffly, only seconds before an arrowhead was aimed at his nose from the left.

Eäriel had already notched an arrow in her bow and was aiming it at one of the Elves that had snuck on her from behind, her back facing Gimli's, and she met the blonde Elf's darker eyes with emotionless blue eyes. "And the footsteps of a bear." She remarked blandly.

"The Dwarf breathes loud enough we could've easily shot him in the dark." A cool voice said from the head of the group where Aragorn was, and the elleth glanced over her shoulder in that direction to recognize the leader of the Marchwarden party.

It had indeed been a while if she almost didn't recognize Haldir, as he had kept the same rank he had now that he had when she had last visited Lorien.

* * *

><p>"<em>Aragorn of the Dúnedain, it is good to put a face to a name known to us<em>." Haldir said as he looked to both Legolas and Aragorn, looking lastly on the lone She-Elf as she had stood near Aragorn. He extended the same gesture to her, "_Eäriel the Wanderer, it has been some time since last you entered Lorien_." He continued in Sindarin.

Eäriel nodded her head in respect, replying in the same tongue, "_Indeed it has, for I was still an Elfling then_." She shrugged, glancing at Gimli as he seemed fidgety about their speaking in a language not entirely familiar to his ears.

"So much for the esteemed courtesy of the Elves! How about you try speaking in a tongue everyone can understand?" Gimli demanded tartly of Haldir.

The blonde Elf narrowed his eyes in distaste for the Dwarf's surliness, "It has been some time since any _Dwarves_ ventured into the Golden Wood… We haven't had dealings with them since _darker_ days." He returned coolly.

"And do you know what this _Dwarf_ says?" Gimli growled back, spitting out a few choice words in Khuzdul.

Eäriel exhaled as she returned in Khuzdul, "_for Mahal's sake, mind your manners!_" She ignored the incredulous glance from Legolas when she spoke, looking at Gimli reproachfully even as he also looked at her in the same surprise the prince had. She broke stares with the Dwarf to smile apologetically at Haldir. "Please excuse our friend's manners, Haldir." She bowed her head briefly before straightening.

Aragorn smirked faintly at seeing his friend had retained her infamous silver tongue, looking to Haldir as well, only to see the blonde had looked now on the Hobbits.

Haldir's tone was hard as he looked once or twice on Frodo, "You bring great evil to this place…" Looking to Aragorn again, he added before turning away, "Your Company cannot go further."

The Fellowship took a brief breather on the tree's platform they had been led to earlier as twilight was passing into night above.

Eäriel looked over at Aragorn as he was pleading with Haldir to let them further into the Golden Wood's realm, having stood near Legolas at the edge of the platform by a thick branch. She knew what Haldir had been implying without even looking at Frodo, knowing the poor Hobbit was being given looks by the others; he did not need another set of eyes looking to him. She loosely ran her fingers through her hair, lowering her arm and looking to the forest's trees highlighted with the soft light of the rising moon. Recognizing that they were wasting moonlight arguing over the paranoia shared by the Lorien Elves, she exhaled and turned to help Aragorn.

Legolas watched her turn away to join the negotiations, not missing the exasperated frown and thin line on her lips, a soft smirk crossing his own lips; she had never had a head for political issues.

"Haldir, for the Valar's sake, _please_. You must give us shelter. If we could go _elsewhere_, believe me, we _would_, but we cannot!" Eäriel said quietly, looking to his brown eyes; for a moment she briefly recalled the first time she had formerly met Beorn long ago, much in the same situation they now faced.

Nine was smaller than sixteen.

She would not dare enter Mirkwood, and she would sooner die than be thrown back out to the Orcs.

"Then you know full-well the great evil that hunts your party. If it were both of you and Legolas, that would be an easier matter entirely, yet you bring a Dwarf with you; you know well enough that a Dwarf hasn't been in the Golden Wood in centuries, Eäriel." Haldir countered, recognizing the plea in her eyes even as they had nowhere to go but to stay in Lorien.

Eäriel fought the shudder threatening to roll down her spine as she stated in a softened tone, "Lady Galadriel knows we are already here, and she knows that Mithrandir fell in Moria." She met his gaze now with hardened blue eyes, watching his own eyes widen in realization, and she looked away as he broke stares to look elsewhere. She felt Aragorn place a hand on her shoulder and she nodded her head to him, looking to Haldir with a firm set of her jaw, knowing the news shocked the blonde as it would anyone who had not seen the wizard fall.

"That is a great loss indeed, yet it does little to solve the predicament involving the Dwarf." Haldir reminded pointedly, keeping his own voice lowered.

"I am the one who is most experienced in dealing with Dwarves in our party, so it will be my duty to keep him in line." Eäriel ignored the sharp glance from Aragorn and the presumed-equally sharp look from Legolas not far from where they stood, looking to Haldir with serious blue eyes. "I will not risk anyone else's life on this quest save my own if worse comes to worse." She stated.

Aragorn gripped her shoulder, being ignored again by the elleth. "That is not necessary, Eäriel, you know it…"

"It is to me, _mellonin_. Let me do this." Eäriel interjected evenly, meeting his green eyes and silently reminding him that she had a duty to keep by making sure they fulfilled their quest in one piece. She felt his hand's grip lessen on her shoulder and he nodded slightly, his own gaze reminding her that he wouldn't be the only one to protest this. Smiling ruefully, she exhaled and nodded.

"Very well." Haldir nodded slightly in compliance, earning twin nods of agreement from the Ranger and She-Elf.

* * *

><p>Despite having a strong backbone, Eäriel avoided Legolas the next day as they reached Caras Galadhon by the time twilight soon converged on the forest. She knew he had a thing or two to say in regards to what had happened the previous night, as well as when he had comforted her at the Dimrill Gate, and she believed it wise to not add more stress to the already-weary weight on her shoulders.<p>

Night was descending on Caras Galadhon and most if not all of the Fellowship looked on the pale moonlight that highlighted the winding staircase they took up to the top of the stairwell, marveling at the intricate beauty they were surrounded with.

The elleth smiled fondly at the welcoming moonlight, soothing and enough to put away the feeling of slight dread and lingering grief, keeping her place with Boromir at the tail of the party as they were being led further up. Her eyes looked on the soft moonlight illuminating the floor of the landing they stood on when reaching the top of the stairwell, glancing up at the small lamps hanging from the curved walls above, as everything she could see seemed to be bathed in the white light of the moon.

Haldir remained with them even as he had sent his companions off to take rest, watching from the side of the Fellowship as the two curved doors were swung open towards them, leaving two figures to stand at the threshold and begin making their way forth, light from the hall they had come through silhouetting their forms.

Eäriel held her head up as she looked firstly on Lord Celeborn, his silvery blonde hair falling to his shoulders, the appearance of a seasoned warrior proving to anyone that he did indeed rule over Lothlorien, if the wisdom in his eyes did not give justice to that. His left hand held the right hand of his counterpart, the Lady Galadriel, whose beauty had not aged a day, her long golden hair going past her shoulders as her fair face showed compassion on the group of guests, her bright blue eyes not belying the compassion she harbored. Both Lord and Lady were dressed in white that seemed to reflect the soft moonlight of the landing, coming to a halt a few feet infront of the weary and tired Fellowship.

After acknowledging the members before him with a slight nod and speaking their name, Lord Celeborn turned to the pressing question on his mind, looking from one set of eyes to the other, "The Enemy knows you have come here, the hope you had with you now gone… Ten there were set out from Rivendell, yet nine stand here before us. Tell me, is Gandalf nearby? I wish to speak with him… yet my eyes do not see him from afar." He asked, his eyes looking in the main from the Ranger to the lone She-Elf.

Lady Galadriel met the elleth's blue gaze that had remained stoic as her other half was surveying their party and spoken, yet when he mentioned the Wizard, she had seen the lone female glance to her, blue meeting blue; she had seen proof of what she had heard as soon as the Fellowship had set foot in Lorien. "Gandalf the Grey did not pass into our borders… He has fallen to Shadow." She said softly, a somber edge to her low voice, seeing the Mirkwood Prince also look up when she spoke the answer.

"He was felled by a Balrog of Morgoth, for we took an unnecessary route through Moria." Legolas informed gravely.

"Nothing that Gandalf did was without cause in life. We don't yet know his full purpose…" Galadriel replied, noticing the grief did not stay with just her adoptive granddaughter but in the Dwarf as well; she looked on him with compassionate eyes, "Don't let the great emptiness of Khazad-dûm overcome you, Gimli son of Gloin; the world has grown in peril, and now love is muddled with grief." Her blue gaze strayed from his brown to meet Boromir's blue, and the Gondorian winced slightly when her gaze held his for what felt like decades before he dropped his gaze. She looked to the Fellowship as a whole again, adding with the same sombered edge, "The fate of this quest stands on the edge of a knife; stray only once, and it will fail for the ruin of all races… Yet hope lingers while the company holds true." She finished with a rather light note, glancing to Sam as she recognized there was indeed hope in his face, and it was not with just him, either; the other two Hobbits as well, Merry and Pippin, and even though there was much that weighed on her mind, Eäriel too.

The Wanderer did not suffer through grief and pain in her past to be weakened by it; no, she kept a sliver of hope still in her heart that they would fulfill this dangerous quest.

* * *

><p>The lamenting song was drawing to a close, dawn only an hour away.<p>

Odd enough, Eäriel was not present, as she had left when hearing the song from the trees above where the Fellowship had been assigned a sleeping area.

She had been avoiding him now almost two days, and while he was accustomed to her absence by now, the fact that she _had_ and _was_ avoiding _he_ in particular left him unsettled just the slightest.

Exhaling, the prince decided to seek her out, knowing she couldn't have gone far even while they were permitted to stay in Lorien for another day before leaving; she wouldn't go far from them, and he did not need to look far for her.

The Wanderer had found refuge in a young mallorn that was at least a little over half as tall as the other mallorn trees surrounding the wood floor. She had seen the tree when it was a sapling, the first time she had visited Lorien, yet now it was almost as tall as its kin; the tree grew with her, she briefly mused. She did not mind the singing, but she needed a bit of time to herself to let her mind be at ease, her back to the tree's thick trunk as she had found a perch on one of the tree's higher branches that was sturdy enough to support her weight. Despite the safety of Lorien's protection, she did not sleep a wink, absorbing the calmness and darkness of the wood around her, trying to void her mind of their loss and thinking ahead to how best to make for Mordor.

She briefly wished she was headed to slay Smaug instead of face the evils of Mordor.

Her ears twitched as she heard quiet footsteps on the floor of the wood, approaching her tree from the direction of their sleeping area; she did not need to look to know it was her friend, her shoulders sagging in a soft and weary sigh. _Valar help me_, she thought.

Legolas looked up when spotting the teal color of her tunic, seeing she had not hidden herself very well even though she was perched high; knowing her, she had used her shape-changing gift again to transform into a bird of some sort… She had a fondness for ravens, he recalled. "There is nothing to keep watch for; you should be resting like the others." He said calmly.

Eäriel crossed her arms at her chest, her legs absently kicking to and fro. "I do better in trees… Besides, you should pay heed to your own advice." She replied.

The prince also folded his arms, shifting his weight a little. "I wish to speak with you, now that you can't avoid me as you have the last day or so." He stated patiently, distinctly seeing her stiffen at his words.

The elleth gave a weary sigh that was a tad more audible now. "Not sure what you mean by that one, dear prince…" She said wryly.

"Eäriel, get down here." He interjected flatly; hearing her grumble something under her breath, he watched her heed his beckon and make her way down to the floor, landing nimbly before the tree as she hadn't used the last two branches to aid in her descent.

She looked on him with a stoic furrow of her brow, her arms remaining crossed at her chest; surprisingly, he had noticed she'd let her hair down as it came below her hips in wavy brown tresses… "Yes, _princeling?_" She said the last word with a hint of soreness at having been ordered to leave the sanctity of her tree.

Sighing through his nostrils, the blonde pondered briefly on where to begin, the incessant question of her fondness for a race not her own, her odd behavior after he had comforted her, or how she had put it upon herself to see that Gimli wouldn't cause trouble in Lorien… Something told him to hold off on the first question, so he decided on the lattermost. "Not counting the Hobbits, you have an Elf and two grown Men in your company, and yet out of all of us, you delegate yourself to keeping a watchful eye on the Dwarf. You've dealt enough with Dwarves, I would think it's time to give yourself a break from them." He pointed out, not missing the slow melting of her stoic mask.

_That_ again… Well at least he was finally getting to asking her about it. "I am not the selfish elleth you met a millennia ago, and you all were tired from our trek through Moria; I have dealt with Dwarves before and I see no issue with what I've done. I believe it's called a favor." She said the last bit snippily, scowling at him.

He held her scowl in his own tightened stare, "You still grieve, Eäriel… I see it clearly even if you try to hide it from me. If you do not grieve for Gandalf, you grieve for that Dwarf you gave your heart to." He mentally readied himself for whatever reaction was going to come as he brought up what had been gnawing at his conscious for the last century, and even as the words passed his lips, he saw they had stung just the slightest.

Eäriel looked away in cowardice, arms folding tighter as if she hugged her ribs. "I needed someone to follow, put faith in… And I do not regret it." She whispered; her words were strong yet her mind was in a tizzy. She had loved Thorin despite their differences, she had mourned his death and hated herself for failing in getting him to the throne, yet it was different with Legolas, for some reason. She knew he favored her and had saved her neck on more than one occasion, possibly loved her… But no. She couldn't see herself loving Legolas like she had loved Thorin.

Thorin had wanted her to be happy and to smile… How could she smile truly without him at her side?

"And you have that now. You left of your own will a century ago, and it's by the grace of the Eldar that you're still standing! You didn't stay." Legolas declared, perking her ears.

"You should've killed me off, then, when I came back only to be thrown in a cell like a criminal! You were too bloody fearful of what your cowardly father would do if you decided to let me free, to let us go…" Eäriel snapped, glaring at him as the same bitterness she had felt towards him in Mirkwood resurfaced.

"The thought never crossed my mind, even if my father had demanded I do it with my own hand… I would not _dream_ of harming you." He stated firmly, watching the flames of annoyance slowly die in her piercing eyes, reality beginning to settle.

She noted the gray light of dawn was soon going to cover the forest with its warming light, her arms lowering and she instead furled her hands into fists on reflex. "You do not deserve to deal with me, Legolas… I would never be considered suitable, too untamable as you once said, and now even moreso. I don't deserve the favor of the Prince of the Woodland Realm." She said quietly, evenly, looking up at his blue eyes with her own sombered blue orbs.

"You are to _me_… If I didn't care about you then why would I have comforted you when we left Moria, felt sympathy that you hadn't had someone to comfort you when you lost those you loved in the past?" Legolas stated in the same quiet voice, watching her eyes slowly look to his, her expression showing a million things, yet the one that stood out the most was surprise.

"Legolas…" Eäriel began quietly, his words sinking in and she shook her head, her gaze lowered as she gave a small wry smile. "Thank you. You shouldn't fret over me so easily, though; I am not a fragile bird as you so believe." She stated dryly, imagining the others were awakening by now; she started back to their encampment.

Smiling in relief that she had given in even though they had basically had a row, Legolas followed until he was at her left. "I only fret because if you disappear again I will start growing grays in my brows." He winced slightly at the idea of looking like his father.

This made her laugh, a noise he had not heard in weeks; it was a noise he missed. She paused to tilt her head and smile fondly at him, amusement in her eyes, "Eru knows we don't want _that_… This world can barely handle _one_ Thranduil, two would be more terrifying than that Balrog!" She jested.

He made a face that only earned a giggle from her, smirking fondly. "I don't think I could get used to riding a battle elk… Horses are easier to handle." He said.

She smiled and looked to see their encampment wasn't far off, looking to him with a playful smirk in place. "Hopefully you can _run_ like a horse, then." She leaned up to peck his cheek before she took off for the encampment at a sprint.

Sighing through his nostrils again, he took off after her. "That was uncalled for, Eäriel!"

She laughed. "Did you not learn from the last time we raced?" She glanced back at him and winked.

It seemed she was back to her old self… Legolas didn't know if that was reassuring or taxing.

* * *

><p><em>** sorry for the angsty cliffhanger last chap, guys! was still trying to work out how i was going to go about describing Caras Galadhon, y'know, without screwing up.. hopefully i didn't disappoint much. and if i did, i apologize! ^^'<em>

_** on another note, thanks for the increase in favs/ follows everyone! they mean sooo much to me and i'm very happy with it. so happy here's a shoutout~_  
><em>latest follows: <strong>FreyaHurricane, oxsilvertearsxo, WhiteRoseLeigh9099, Snumachu, Simbelia, AmaraRB<strong>_  
><em>latest favs: <strong>AmaraRB, WhiteRoseLeigh9099<strong>_


	7. Unwinding Tethers of Hope

Eäriel traced a finger along the band of the bracelet on her left wrist, looking on it with a measure of fondness. It was bronze and the words '_May the swiftness of Oromë and wisdom of Aulë remain with you, wolf child_' were carved in Sindarin and Khuzdul on the band.

Galadriel had given it to her while Lord Celeborn had been speaking with Aragorn once their group was readying to depart, a reminder that while she wasn't her granddaughter by blood, the elleth was at least favored as if she was. The Wanderer had bowed her head in respect before smiling, joining Legolas in preparing the boat they and Gimli would share.

"You haven't said how you knew Khuzdul, lass." Gimli pointed out on their second day; their course was slow and it was already midday, he believing they were not stopping until nightfall.

Eäriel looked up from her bracelet and shrugged, knowing the language wasn't given freely to outsiders, let alone Elves; she replied calmly, "Fili and Kili were kind enough to teach me some, and I learned a bit more from Balin when I would visit the Blue Mountains. Of course Balin would correct me if what I learned from the princes wasn't accurate…" She chuckled at the memory.

Glancing at the Elf steering their boat, Gimli looked to the elleth with a quirked brow. "_Still think he's a prat_." He muttered in the Dwarvish tongue, seeing the prince's ear twitch.

Following what he was saying, Eäriel grinned and replied back, "_He was __**worse**__ when he met your father. More of a stuck-up git then._" She caught Legolas' sharp glance and wiggled her fingers in a wave despite Gimli failing miserably at hiding an amused grin at what she had said.

"There's always the option of having you _swim_ the rest of the way…" Legolas said cattily, having the distinct feeling she was talking about him in Dwarvish.

"Both of you cut it out." Aragorn called from the front boat, knowing Eäriel was best at ruffling Legolas' proverbial feathers… Yet Gimli was a close second.

Eäriel made a face when he wasn't looking, exhaling. "Not even wearing the crown on his head yet…" She mumbled.

* * *

><p>Legolas peered out at the darkened shores of the river Anduin, waiting for her return.<p>

She had broken away from them at least an hour or two ago, briefly surprising those who did not fully know of her shape-changing ability, taking to the air in the form of a raven and flying further south from where they had been.

It was rather amusing to see Gimli be spooked by the elleth's lack of warning them.

A loud wolf's howl cut into the still night, perking his ears, and the prince looked to the left side of the bank as the wolf in question was cantering towards him; his keen eyes recognized the wolf's gray pelt and brilliant blue eyes that peered at him, her bobbing tail swaying in recognition of him.

He smiled dryly as she changed back, her thin form stretching tall into the form of the elleth he had befriended long ago, her ice blue eyes no less piercing. "Any luck?" She had told him prior to leaving the boat that she knew they were being followed ever since they'd left the Dimrill Gate, though their stalker had kept much distance when they'd passed into Lothlorien.

She looked the way she had come and she huffed, "Not much; I tried to scare 'im off a few times, but I didn't get close enough to completely divert his course. Gollum certainly is a stubborn little ilk." She met his eyes with some measure of nostalgia hedging the corners of her eyes, looking away to turn in the direction of the small camp they'd made once reaching shore.

"What you did not do sixty years ago can't be rewritten, Eäriel…" Legolas declared quietly as he kept at her left, meeting her sobered glance; having been her friend for a millennia plus, he knew well that she regretted little, but what she did regret were things she could not remedy. He smiled faintly as he held her pale blue gaze in his own, "You did enough right to overrule the wrong." He added.

Eäriel glanced away, a small defeated smile crossing her lips as some small part of her cursed his keen eyesight; Thorin had been able to see through her façades, yet Legolas was more experienced at it than the Dwarf-king. "I am grateful you remained the thoughtful prince you were when I left the Woodland Realm." Exhaling, she paused, lifting a hand to gingerly trace the scar on her cheek, looking up at him with an apology in her piercing orbs. "I cannot apologize to Thorin for my shortcomings, but I can hope and pray you will forgive me for hurting you with my words, that night in the armory." She felt a small smile form on her lips as she lowered her hand only to have it rub her opposite arm absently.

Legolas raised both brows in surprise at her apology; while it was overdue, it was unexpected, at least now when they had more pressing issues to deal with… Her timing did have its off moments. Besides, he was one to apologize as well; he had tried to stop her and make her see reason, he had behaved selfishly when seeing the apparent loyalty and love she harbored for Thorin Oakenshield… Yet she was the one apologizing instead. Sighing slightly through his nostrils, the prince reflexively grasped her shoulder, "I don't think you or I were thinking clearly that night, therefore there is nothing to forgive, _mellonin_." He squeezed her shoulder, seeing her eyes brighten as his words sank in, and she smiled despite the fading tension she had held in waiting for his answer. He smiled for her, watching her own hand lift to squeeze his, releasing his hand and glancing at it as his fingers lifted to land on the scar on her cheek.

Eäriel froze slightly yet remained calm, staying still as his eyes had fallen on the thin scar she wore, the scar she had worn proudly for the last sixty years… It was probably the only visible reminder that she had tried her damnedest to keep Thorin from the inevitable fate he had met. She felt the light sparks his touch had on her skin as his fingertips brushed against the scar, light as a feather; feeling her ears begin to burn, she reflexively held his hand to her cheek, lifting her gaze to meet his, yet she was surprised just a little when seeing there was a crease in his brow. "It's not your fault, love… What I did long ago was never your fault." She murmured; it was true indeed, as he had not been the one to anger her to the point of leaving the Woodland Realm, he had not been the one to give her the scar she wore; he did nothing but give her aid and worry for her well-being.

Besides, she doubted she could ever blame Legolas.

He reflexively cupped her cheek, noting the fond look she gave his gesture, and exhaled patiently. Releasing her cheek, he smiled in mild exasperation with the elleth before turning towards the camp with the female at his side.

Both Elves took a seat near the fire; Eäriel looked to see Merry and Pippin had retired for the night, sleeping near where Sam also slept, and she smiled thoughtfully at the Hobbits. When she looked to Frodo, she recognized he slept a bit of a ways off from Sam's left; she frowned as she recognized he was distancing himself, as he had been for the last week since they'd left Lothlorien, and exhaled softly at the sight.

Frodo was not Bilbo, she recognized once again; Bilbo had not been fully aware of the true intentions of the Ring when he'd had it, he had not let it weigh on his mind… Not like his nephew.

Gimli snorted in his dozing as Aragorn came forth from the darkness of the brush a few yards from their campsite; there was a frustrated furrow in his brow, his green eyes hard.

Legolas looked at where his friend had come only to see Boromir approaching from the brush, the dim light the moon gave off showing the same expression worn by the Ranger also plagued the Gondorian.

Eäriel looked at Aragorn concernedly, and the latter must've seen the frown she wore, for he met her piercing eyes and shook his head slightly, silently saying it was nothing she needed to fret over. She held his stare in hers for a moment longer before nodding her chin, now seeing Boromir come forth into the light of the fire, the expression Aragorn had worn also on his bearded face, albeit the Gondorian was trying to push it to the back of his mind, from what she could tell.

Letting her eyes lower and rest on the orange and red embers that danced vainly before her, she realized her own issues were to be put on hold.

The Fellowship was beginning to crumble.

* * *

><p>Aragorn did not have Elf eyes, yet he did not miss the slight frown that had adorned the Mirkwood Prince's brow when the lone female decided to share a boat with Merry and Pippin, relieving the two Hobbits from the currently-moody Gondorian who had been like that for the last few days. He looked to the prince as they were readying to depart again. "I am sure your she-wolf will be fine on her own for today." He said as Legolas handed him the last bag of supplies to put in his own boat.<p>

Legolas perked up slightly at hearing the pronoun used, looking at Aragorn's knowing half-smile before glancing back at said elleth as she hoisted the bedrolls for the Hobbits into their boat. He scoffed, "Of course she will, she does not need constant supervision like an Elfling." He replied, giving a look in return to his friend.

The Ranger refrained from rolling his eyes, chuckling quietly. "Yet _you_ fear she will disappear from your sight again." He noted his friend's ears were slightly pink and he added patiently, "She does not grieve so much now, at least with you here." Since he had known Eäriel had been raised in Rivendell like he had and had befriended her much easier than when they'd originally met fifty years back, Aragorn had seen her as a sister-figure; a rather immature fey of a sister, to be frank.

He was not lying in saying what he said: Legolas had brought the life back to Eäriel's eyes, and for that, the Ranger was grateful.

Legolas fell silent as they boarded the boats and started off from the shore again, letting Aragorn's words soak in; even though they reminded him pointedly that he had indeed favored Eäriel more than Tauriel or any other Elf back home, they brought comfort in stating that she had life again so long as he was near.

Eäriel smiled and laughed quietly with Merry and Pippin as the latter duo had just finished speaking of an instance of their reputed mischief. She shook her head and chuckled, "You two would be the death of us all if you had ever met Fili and Kili." She proceeded to tell the two Hobbits of her time spent among the Dwarves, namely of the late princes who had also had a penchant for mischief and fun they had once or twice gotten her involved in.

"Do you think you'd ever visit the Shire again after this is over, Miss Eäriel?" Pippin asked lightly as a peaceful silence settled in their boat after she had recounted the incident with Fili and Kili covered in chicken feathers and laughed at the story, looking at the elleth as she had given rowing a break.

Eäriel pondered briefly as she noted the calm manner of the current that carried their boat after Legolas' and Aragorn's, smiling on the two Hobbits with a warm twinkle in her eyes. "Of course!" The cynical part of her conscious pointed out that perhaps the journey would meet the same end as her previous quest had met, yet she shoved that to the back of her mind.

She had promised Bilbo she would see him that day on Ravenhill so she would also see Merry and Pippin when their quest was over.

It was later during the same day that the Fellowship made the shore of the Anduin once again.

The elleth was once again left with the same niggling she had felt in Rivendell as she noted Boromir seemed anxious, as he had been showing the last few days since his row with Aragorn; she was helping lug the boat she'd shared with Merry and Pippin further onto the rocky bank before taking a brief head-count when the boat was safely away from the shallow waters. She inwardly cursed at seeing Boromir had gone off to get firewood, as she had briefly heard him mention only minutes ago, noticing his shield was propped near his bedroll; yet that wasn't the more concerning issue she now saw.

They were one Halfling short.

Eäriel bit her lip and looked to Aragorn briefly, "I'm going to scout ahead, be back shortly." She flashed a smile before turning to take off into the wood that stretched past the riverbank, her lanky form soon disappearing among the trees. Once yards away from her companions she changed into a wolf again, weaving in and around brush, her ears catching nothing out of the ordinary as of yet.

Until she heard the hard-edged voice of Boromir yards from where she was.

Skidding to a halt, the she-wolf turned to lope in the direction of his voice, now hearing the noises of a small struggle as she got closer; the gray wolf leaped over the small slope to crash into the sturdy torso of the Gondorian.

* * *

><p>Frodo had been on the verge of putting the Ring on to escape from the suddenly-frantic Boromir, yet as he had heard a low growl come from overhead and the streak of gray fur that had thrown the man off, he looked on the unexpected savior. The elleth glowered at the man as she used herself as a shield to prevent any more harm to come to Frodo, her gaze dangerously cold.<p>

Boromir huffed in the same cold manner, "You've meddled enough in affairs that were not yours to meddle in, haven't you? Get out of my way, Eäriel." He ordered icily.

Flexing her knuckles absently, Eäriel snapped, "I have shed enough blood in the past and I do not care for spilling the blood of a companion. I won't fight you, Boromir, but I will not let you hurt Frodo." Frodo had to bolt, and now; Boromir wasn't in his right frame of mind, and while she didn't wish to kill him, there was no harm in clocking him for his having succumbed to the Ring's beckon. Without glancing back at him, she added, "Run Frodo."

"Eäriel…" Frodo looked at her in bewilderment, perking up as the Gondorian edged closer.

"**Go**!" Eäriel ordered as she intercepted Boromir's lunge, throwing him to the ground as she heard Frodo bolt into the trees; the man attempted to kick her off but she kept him pinned, grimacing slightly when he hooked his left leg with her right, twisting them so he rolled her onto her back, and she instinctively kicked him off with a foot to his belly. Slightly winded, the elleth ducked as he attempted to land a punch with his right hand, her right leg swinging to trip him so his head hit the ground hard enough to leave him dazed. Straightening as she panted a little, she murmured an apology before sprinting after Frodo.

"Eäriel!"

Turning slightly to see the owner of the beckon, she gave a relieved exhale as Aragorn came into view, and she slowed her pace a little to run side by side. "Just ran into Boromir," she informed blandly.

The Ranger noted the frown hedging her lips and nodded. "Good eyes for a scout," he said, earning a wry huff from his friend, looking forward and slowing down as they came to the old watchtower of Amon Hen. It was unused and dying yellow grass covered the patch of earth, beneath the simple watchtower that was otherwise known for the Seeing Seat at the top of the flat overlook, the seat protected by two eagles carved from stone on either side.

The Wanderer motioned for him to be silent as she had heard someone trying to catch their breath, gesturing they near the back corner of the tower, finding the Ringbearer seated in a rather awkward position. "Frodo?" Aragorn spoke concernedly, making the Hobbit jump and turn to his companions as the Wanderer looked past them to the otherwise-deserted clearing.

"The Ring, it just… and Boromir… Eäriel and I could not do anything for him! It's taken Boromir," Frodo said, seeing Aragorn's eyes sharpen as Eäriel's gaze hardened in bitterness.

"Where is the Ring?" Aragorn asked sharply as he neared the Hobbit, only to have him scramble away from them, reminding the elleth of a spooked rabbit, and she frowned softly at seeing what Boromir had done had scared Frodo.

"Stay back!" Frodo declared.

Despite the confusion in his eyes, Aragorn reminded gently, "I gave my word that I would protect you."

"Can you protect me from yourself?" Frodo demanded, gesturing to the Ring he had on hand.

Eäriel looked to Aragorn with slight concern as he neared the Hobbit; she knew full-well of how his ancestor had fallen to his demise by the small trinket in Frodo's possession, yet she had too much hope in her friend to believe he was as weak-willed as Boromir.

Closing his smaller hand around the Ring in his palm, Aragorn handed it back to the Ringbearer, proving worthy to remind her that not all men were weak.

Eäriel smiled in elation, looking at Frodo as his distancing himself of late had clicked in her mind only two days prior. "We won't hinder you from what you must do." She said gently, smiling in defeat when he looked at her.

Aragorn agreed, "Aye, we would've followed you to the very fires of Mordor." He said with understanding in his gaze as it held the Ringbearer's.

Nodding, Frodo gave a small smile, "I know; take care of the others for me, especially Sam. He won't understand," looking at the Elf, he added, "thank you, Eäriel, for helping us." A slightly sheepish look crossed his young face.

Eäriel nodded with a soft smile as he reminded her of a younger Bilbo for that one moment. Her ears twitched as she heard the sounds of oncoming trouble and jerked her attention in a different direction, a curse escaping her lips. "_Lovely_." She spat, drawing Hathelas.

Sure enough, the blade glowed a brilliant teal… Just her luck.

"Go, Frodo; **run**!" Aragorn declared as he drew his sword, making sure the Hobbit ran from the clearing before he strode forth into the view of the black-clad host of Orcs that had found them.

Eäriel's eyes narrowed in disgust. "Ladies first." She lashed out at the first beast, Hathelas singing as its blade ripped the throat open with ease, ducking as another one lunged at her from the left, her long knife's blade clashing sharply with the second beast's crude scimitar, sparks flying. The Orc-beast snarled viciously as her piercing eyes held its incensed darker glare, keeping her footing before swiftly disengaging the locked blades.

The Orc-beast gave a vain snarl when both of her blades stabbed into its sternum, black blood staining the two Elvish blades.

Jerking both blades free as the beast fell to the ground, her long knife's blade was chucked to stab into the back of another beast that attempted to slay the Ranger from behind. "Aragorn, what are these filth?" She demanded as she caught the swing of another beast's sword, punting it off only to stab into its heart, yanking her sword free with a disgusted snarl.

"Lord Celeborn said they were called Urukhai; fresh spawn from Isengard!" Aragorn answered with a grunt as he deflected another beast, the long knife belonging to his friend on hand as he lashed out, cutting down the beast.

Eäriel scoffed, "that says a lot; Saruman must've revived the Gundabad filth we slew decades ago." She shuddered at the disgusting thought, catching the swing of another Urukhai's blade with ease and ripping into its throat, bristling as its features all but screamed Gundabad.

More Urukhai swarmed around them, only being repelled by the Ranger and Wanderer, both sharing mutual loathing towards the taller and much uglier Orc-hybrids. The latter kept both knives on hand as she ripped and severed the Urukhai from their limbs that stood in her way, leading some of them to the top of the Seeing Seat.

"Eäriel…" Aragorn began to look for his comrade when hearing an imitation of a howl rip into the air from the top of the tower, knowing by the clashing of blades and roars from their foes that the elleth had called for aid. Energy renewed as the call for aid had been given, he also fought, stabbing and parrying with the beasts that surrounded him.

Eäriel blocked a downward swing from another Urukhai that bore a stinging resemblance to the pale Orc she had fought long ago, her teeth bared as the Urukhai sneered at her and bore more of its weight onto their connected blades.

An arrow pierced the Urukhai's neck from behind, the arrowhead protruding grotesquely through its jugular, slightly surprising the elleth before she disengaged the blades as the beast fell at her feet.

Panting softly, Eäriel tensed as another Urukhai flew at her from the right only to be cut down with Hathelas' teal blade that severed its head; she kicked the body off the edge of the flat top she had led her pursuers onto only minutes ago, huffing. "I could've handled it, princeling!" She said chirpily as said blonde finished killing another Urukhai that attempted to attack from the stairwell, making her way to his side, cutting down the beasts that tried to get in her way.

Legolas cracked a smile when meeting her surprisingly light gaze, distinctly having the feeling that she was happiest when in the heat of battle, bits of blood on her face and hands, though none of it was hers, blessedly. "Before or after being cut down?" He returned, earning a smirk as she rolled her eyes before looking to the ground for any sign of Aragorn.

"Preferably before, love…" Eäriel sighed as she sheathed Hathelas and her long knife, drawing her bow and notching an arrow, firing it an Urukhai that flew at Gimli from his blind spot, watching Legolas' arrow streak to cut down another that neared Aragorn. "Can't let them have all the fun… Besides, I worry for the Hobbits. Valar knows they've never seen battle…" She looked past the scene before them to the river beyond her reach, knowing the Halflings were either hiding from the sudden assault or fighting.

She prayed to Eru that it would not come to the latter…

The loud call of a horn in the wood jerked her attention away, and the elleth's eyes sharpened, recognizing the frantic call… "Boromir." She said quietly in surprise.

Legolas notched another arrow and set it loose as the projectile found its mark in the Urukhai's forehead that had lunged at Aragorn, "Aragorn, go; we'll handle it!" He urged, watching the Ranger take off into the wood; he was not surprised to see Eäriel jump from their vantage point to follow the Ranger, her bow put away so her long knives were on hand as she covered her friend's trail, cutting down the Urukhai that got in their way or made to attack them.

* * *

><p>Reaching the scene, Eäriel's eyes scanned the dead Uruks that had attacked Boromir, some small part of her surprised to see the Gondorian had felled so many. She looked at where Aragorn was as he finished slaying a particularly vulgar-looking Uruk, her eyes finding the gravely injured Boromir as the Ranger went to his side. She frowned in empathy, recognizing death was near, hearing the two sets of steps that belonged to the Elf and Dwarf coming to a halt at the scene.<p>

Legolas looked to the elleth and recognized she knew Boromir was not going to live much longer, as he had suspected, moreso because Aragorn was quietly speaking with the dying man. He saw the empathy in Eäriel's eyes when he looked to her again, a sliver of compassion for the Gondorian brightening her sombered blue orbs.

Eäriel lowered her head slightly as Boromir passed on, looking at Aragorn as he straightened to his feet after giving his comrade a last soft-toned farewell, seeing a stiffness in his left shoulder. She looked past the foliage between they and the shores of the Anduin, knowing Frodo was on his way to the other side of the river by now, if he had not already borrowed one of their boats to do so. _He's in Eru's hands now, Bilbo_, she thought.

What lay on the other side of the river was not somewhere she could follow.

The quartet was quiet as they gave their felled comrade a makeshift funeral, cleaning him up as best as possible, and setting his body in one of the other boats and sent the boat floating down the river, letting the current take it.

"Merry and Pippin, they didn't get away, did they?" The elleth asked softly as she looked to the lone man as she bound his injury, a concern for the young Hobbits present in her eyes.

The Ranger shook his head, exhaling. "Sam went with Frodo; you know as well as I that he would not leave his side." He replied quietly, a slight smile hedging his lips at the thought.

"I suppose Bilbo won't be too angry if he knew Frodo did not go to Mordor on his own, then." She mused, finishing with his bindings and stepping away as he straightened.

"If that is the case, then we should follow them; Eru knows what lies in Mordor." Legolas said as he made to get into the spare boat.

"Legolas." Eäriel's beckon gave him pause, and she met his blue eyes with her blue stare. She watched the anxiousness slowly fade from his piercing eyes as her gaze that held his silently stated they could not follow Frodo.

"You don't mean to follow." Legolas didn't ask, releasing the boat of his grasp, looking to Aragorn to see the same message was in his green stare.

"Frodo's fate is not in our hands anymore." Aragorn shook his head.

Gimli huffed in defeat, "then it has all been for nothing, if the Fellowship is broken!"

Eäriel frowned patiently, looking to where they had come, distinctly sensing that the Uruks had gone back in the direction of Isengard, her eyes tightening. Merry and Pippin had achingly reminded her of Fili and Kili, and it pained her to think that she could do little to keep the late princes alive that day… Her hands formed into fists at her sides, and she stiffened on habit when a hand grasped her shoulder, looking to the owner of the hand to see Aragorn looking on her with affirmation in his gaze.

"While we still live and breathe, it is not broken yet. We won't leave Merry and Pippin to torture and death, not while there is strength left!" Aragorn stated determinedly, seeing a hint of pain in the elleth's eyes as she saw a memory he could not reach, gripping her shoulder as her eyes held his and she and Legolas gave a nod, Gimli nodding as well; releasing both her shoulder and Gimli's, he turned to the bags of their provisions and bedrolls. "Leave what can be spared, for we will be traveling light from here on. Let's hunt some Orc." He looked to the trio with a slight smile, tossing Gimli's bedroll to him as he secured his own to his back, turning in the direction of where the Uruks had gone and taking off.

Eäriel smiled and gave a soft laugh, looking up at Legolas and reflexively squeezing his hand, turning to run after Aragorn at top speed; Legolas watched her go and smirked, the smirk remaining as he and Gimli shared a look before they both rushed after the elleth and man into the cover of the trees.

* * *

><p><em>** sorry for the wait, everyone! life tends to get to you and then throwing a tumblr blog and drawing and deviantArt in... yeah, you know. anyway, so this is the end of Fellowship, and the next chapter will usher in Two Towers. personally i'm more psyched for Two Towers than i was for Fellowship, i guess because of reasons... if you've seen the films, you know what i'm referring to. lD<em>

_** thanks for the newest batch of favs/follows, guys:_  
><em><br>latest follows:_  
><strong><em>GothicEmoGirl95, lenayaj14, juuuuuuulllzz, dancertoria<br>_**_latest favs: _**_BlueEyedPisces, juuuuuuulllzz, dancertoria_**


End file.
